The other side of me
by luckystar03
Summary: Everyone knows that Echizen Nanjiroh pro tennis player was Ryoma's father but no one really knows about Echizen Rinko and who she was before she met her husband. Read and find out the other side of Ryoma and things he keeps to himself. R
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey everyone, so here's something that's been stuck in my head for a while so I decided to write it down. I hope all of you like it. Also, there will be appearances of characters from other animes, Haven't decided yet though. Read and Review. Be nice please!

The other side of me

Chapter 1

My name is Echizen Ryoma and I live a double life. To all of my schoolmates and all of my rivals from other schools, I am Echizen Ryoma, the prince of tennis. I'm a boy with dark-green hair and golden cat-like eyes who was cocky and arrogant just because I could hit a yellow ball to the other side of the net. However, to few other people, I am known as Echizen Ryoma, the son of Takeuchi Rinko, the sole heir to the Takeuchi fortune.

My father is indeed Echizen Nanjiro, also known as Samurai Nanjiro, a former professional tennis player who could have taken over the tennis world, if he hadn't quit. By now, all of my senpai's know the identity of my father, as much as I tried to hide or deny that fact. He's so embarrassing. However, what a lot of people don't know about me is who my mother really is. Her maiden name was Takeuchi Rinko and to the most elite people of the world, the name Takeuchi was renowned. They were a family not to mess with. The Takeuchi family is the second richest family in the world, second only to the Royal family. They are one of the most powerful families in the world. Normally in the upper class, you wouldn't pay much attention to the daughter in the family; it is the son who inherits the fortune and his son after that. However, due to the sudden death of my uncle, who died before bearing children, control of the family's companies and wealth was handed over to my mother.

You may not believe it, but I don't live in a huge mansion. I don't have people to cater to my every whim. I don't have people to cook and clean for me. Actually, scratch that, Nanako-san cooks and cleans up after me all the time, but that doesn't count she's family and she likes doing all that housework junk. I much prefer it this way though. I'd rather not have people know about the other side of my family. It's not that I'm embarrassed or hate the other part of me, it's just that people treat me differently when they find out I'm a Takeuchi. They all kiss my ass and it's annoying as hell, I guess that's why I act so arrogant and cocky now, to everyone who doesn't know me as Takeuchi, they don't let me get away with it and most often than not, they pick a fight.

However, that's not the only thing that people don't know about me. I don't just play tennis. I play many instruments and I'm good at all of them. It doesn't take me long to master an instrument. Some of my favourite instruments to play are the Piano, Guitar, Violin, the Drums, and I also have an amazing voice. Actually, Seguchi Tohma keeps trying to recruit me into his record label. Damn him and his stupid pimp hat and fur coat, he's so damn annoying and persistent, when will he ever get it through his thick blonde skull that I will NEVER and I mean NEVER agree to become an artist. It's not that I don't like singing or music, it's because I don't want to deal with all the fans and the damn Mary-Sues. I barely have a normal life as it is; I'm not going to willingly make it even crazier.

Music isn't the only thing though. Truthfully, I'm a genius. By the age of 12 I earned a university degree and was working on a Masters degree. So why may you ask did I attend middle school when I was already working on my masters? That's simple; it's because of my mother. She said that I'm a loner, that I'm socially retarded (well she said it in a nicer way anyways). She's worried that I'll never have friends and I'll never find a companion at the rate I was going. Which I must admit, was most likely true. That's why she forced me into middle school. That's why I went, besides it's not like I had anything better to do, and my baka oyaji wanted me there to improve my tennis. That's also why I slept in class so much. Why should I pay attention? There were much better ways to spend my time than to listen to some idiot ramble on about things that I already knew.

After I spent about a year at Seigaku, my dad insisted on pulling me out of the school, to go back to America. He entered me into other competitions ever since I played in the U.S. Open. I've played in many competitions since then, such as Wimbeldon, Roland Garros, otherwise known as the French Open for those of you who don't know, and many other Tennis competitions. I won them all. I'm an undefeated Professional Tennis player. I'm also the youngest player to become a pro. It's been three years since then, three years since I left Seigaku and to be honest a life of being at the top is getting quite boring. All of my friends, my old senpai's still don't know my secret, my other life. Do I feel guilty? I've kept it from them for 3 years, maybe slightly; I mean they are my friends right? They do deserve to know the real me.

I guess this brings me to the present. I'm 15 years old now, as I stand in front of Seigaku High, ready to go back to a life of normalcy. Most people would think I'm crazy. I'm the number 1 Tennis Player in the world. I have millions of dollars that are all mine and not the Takeuchi's. I'm known throughout the world. I'm a genius, an amazing athlete, and an amazing artist, although no one really knows about the whole artist thing, sans my family and apparently Seguchi-san, how the hell did he find out anyways? Anyways, I'm getting sidetracked. I'm all that I just mentioned and I'm giving up the fame and fortune, for what? For a normal high school life, hah that's hilarious. I guess this is what happens when you're smart, rich, and bored out of your fucking mind. I've realized one thing though; being at the top is a lonely and boring world.

I've changed since I left for America, my hairs grown longer, and its now just below my chin, with long pieces framing my face. Inui-senpai will be glad to know that his milk diet worked. I now stand at 5 feet 8 inches tall. I could almost imagine him popping up behind me from out of nowhere saying something like 'Ii data data'. The day I noticed I was getting taller was a happy day, although I didn't let anyone else know that I cared about that. Not only my height but also my face has matured, or so Nanako-san and mom tell me. Oyaji makes fun of me because of it. Instead of calling me shounen now, he calls me bishounen. What I wouldn't give to smack that damn smirk off of his perveted face. I guess he's right though, or so Nanako-san says, "I've gotten prettier." Those are her exact words. Now don't get me wrong, I don't think I'm the hottest thing around and that as Monkey-King would say "everyone should be awed by my presence," but I'm not blind. I can see the stares, the looks and the leers from everyone around me. Man or woman, it doesn't matter. They're all the same. I wonder how everyone will react to the new me, the older me.

No one knows that I'm back. I never told a single soul. My mom however was just ecstatic that I'm back here. Again, it's the whole socially retarded loner life thing she's afraid of, but really, she just wants a grandchild. However, this time around I insisted that they upgrade me. If i'm going to be in a place where I already know everything that they're going to teach me, I sure as hell am not going to be in first year. Especially since the two loudmouths should be entering this school by now. I'm sure you know who I mean, Horio, and that other girl, I think her name was Osakada or something like that. I will NOT be stuck in a class with them EVER again! I've had enough people screaming Ryoma-sama Ryoma-sama to me. Someone should really tell that girl to shut the hell up.

A/N

So what does everyone think of this? More to come but I don't know where this story is going so if you have any suggestions or ideas feel free to say 'em


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hey everyone! I wanna thank all of you for reading my story in the first place, all of your reviews and alerts. Much appreciated. I hope that you like my story and this chapter. Please read and review. Oh and yes, the whole story will be told in the first person view.

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**Chapter 2**

It's a nice morning as I look at the school where I'll be spending my next year or so. I can just imagine what's going to happen when they all find out I'm back. They'll all run up to me start screaming my name. There's no doubt that once Kikumaru-senpai sees me, he'll probably "glomp" me as hard as he can while screaming "Ochibi". I'm so looking forward to it. Can you hear the sarcasm in my voice? Maybe I should turn around right now and head back home...no, on second thought if I do that, mom will kill me, even if she's not home, Oyaji is and he'd rat me out. At our house, Mom's word is law. Not because she's a Takeuchi or anything like that, because lets just say she's not someone you want to make angry. Besides, here comes the principle. He's late.

I sigh, as the principle comes running up to me and says "Echizen Ryoma, I'm Principle Aki pleasure to meet you. Why don't we head to my office, we'll get your schedule, fill out some forms then I'll take you down to your homeroom." I heard him say as we walked into the building. "So tell me Echizen-kun" started the Principle, "why are you attending Saigaku high when you've already completed university and your masters?" I don't really feel like explaining, but I guess I'll have to, I can't go around making enemies with the principle now can I. "Okaasan" I answered him back as we enter his office "pardon?" as he looked down at me with a questioning gaze. "My mother, she wants me to make friends, afraid I'll become a loner. Says she'd rather have me here than hold up in my room or playing tennis all day." I clarified as I take the sheet of paper that's being handed to me. "Okay," he says, "well your entering in the middle of the term, I'm sure you'll have no problem catching up with the rest of your class. However, just because you've already completed university doesn't mean you can still slack off in your classes. I still expect you to do your work and come to school. Do I make myself clear?" He said to me as I look down at the paper that was handed to me as I grunted in response. I can see that it's my schedule; I'll be in third year. I see that my first class is English, which I'm glad for because then I can sleep in. Hell, I'll probably sleep the whole day. It's not like I need to pay attention. I also have history, chemistry, math, music, which was okaa-san's idea, business, physics, and a last period spare. I put my schedule in my bag and I glance over at the other papers lined on the desk. "These are some of the forms you have to fill out. They're really simple, just formalities." Says Principle Aki, as I read and fill out each of the forms. "Well, now that that's done, why don't we head to your home room and I can introduce you to the teacher and your classmates." I heard him say as we both got up and headed out the door to the third year hall.

We are now outside my homeroom, class 3-1, the principle goes in while I stand outside. I hear the teacher speaking in English, her accent isn't so bad, it's passable, but you can still hear her Japanese accent. The principle interrupts her and makes his announcement. "Everyone, please quiet down." He says trying to gain everyone's attention. "We have a new transfer student here with us. Some of you may know him, he attended the Seigaku middle School. His name is Echizen Ryoma." I hear my name call so I step inside the classroom as all eyes turn to me and everyone gasps. I look around and I notice that none of my former senpai's are in the room. I'm not sure whether that's a good thing or not. Everyone seems to be staring at me, watching my every move. It's unnerving. I can see it in their eyes. All the girls immediately sit up straighter, primp their hair, check their mirrors and smile as wide as can be. I can see the slight blushes spread across their faces and how some of the guys begin to grow uncomfortable. The girls and even most of the guys have that look in their eyes, the look of lust, love, whatever you want to call it, but there are select few, which I'm glad for, have jealousy in their eyes, jealous that I'm getting all the attention of the girls. Why am I glad for it? It's because those are the select few who don't see me as a piece of meat. Who won't molest me or try to go out with me. Anyways, I've been spacing out for a while now, I guess I should start paying attention to what they're saying as I turn my head I hear the teacher say "...introduce yourself." Looks like I came to at just the right time.

I look up and give everybody my famous stare; a look that says that I'm bored and that I don't want to be here. My hair is perfectly styled in that messy but still good-looking, I-just-got-out-of-bed look, with the top button of my collared shirt opened and the tie hung loosely around my neck. As I start my introductions I slowly peel my dark sunglasses off of my face in an oh-so-bored way and give everyone my famous glare and say " Echizen Ryoma. 15 years old. Play Tennis." I know it's short, but why should I tell them about me, you can probably google my name and find anything you want about me, there's probably some damn wiki page about me. The teacher looks at me with a frown on her face, I guess she wanted me to say more. "Echizen-kun," she says "why don't you say more about yourself, such as, where you were before coming here, why you came to Japan, what you like, dislike." she said as she listed things off the top of her head. "America. My mother and was bored. Karupin, tennis, and music. Fans, Mary-Sues, and loud people." I said to the teacher and the class, the principle had already left shortly after introductions. She looked at me and then realization dawned on her. I had just given her the answers to the questions she had listed off. Realizing she wasn't going to get anymore than this, I heard her sigh and tell me that I could go to my seat which thankfully is at the back of the class seated right beside the window.

As I sit down I immediately lay my head down and begin to drift off to sleep, after all it's only English. From what I can tell before my brain falls asleep, the class is reading Shakespeare, Hamlet to be more precise. Five minutes. I was only able to nap for five minutes before the teacher noticed me with my head down, fast asleep. I guess she was a little pissed off, while my classmates found it amusing and began to giggle. I guess she decided that she had to set an example so she called on me to answer the homework the class had. Apparently it was to interpret the most famous speech in the play. I'm sure most have you have already heard it. She wants me to read the speech and interpret it, even though I just showed up today. Really, how many times am I going to go through this? All these teachers who feel they should try and embarrass me and teach me a lesson about sleeping in class.

"To be, or not to be: that is the question:  
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer  
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune  
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, . . ." (A/N: I don't really want to put in the whole thing, takes up too much space)

(A/N: don't have to read this part if you don't want to, just thought I should include this, it's just the analysis of the speech)  
"Hamlet poses the problem of whether to commit suicide as a logical question: "To be, or not to be," that is, to live or not to live. He then weighs the moral ramifications of living and dying. Is it nobler to suffer life, "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune," passively or to actively seek to end one's suffering? He compares death to sleep and thinks of the end to suffering, pain, and uncertainty it might bring, "the heartache, and the thousand natural shocks / That flesh is heir to." Based on this metaphor, he decides that suicide is a desirable course of action, "a consummation / Devoutly to be wished." But, there is more to the question, namely, what will happen in the afterlife. Hamlet immediately realizes as much, and he reconfigures his metaphor of sleep to include the possibility of dreaming; he says that the dreams that may come in the sleep of death are daunting, that they "must give us pause."  
He then decides that the uncertainty of the afterlife, which is intimately related to the theme of the difficulty of attaining truth in a spiritually ambiguous world, is essentially what prevents all of humanity from committing suicide to end the pain of life. He outlines a long list of the miseries of experience, ranging from lovesickness to hard work to political oppression, and asks who would choose to bear those miseries if he could bring himself peace with a knife, "when he himself might his quietus make / With a bare bodkin?" He answers himself again, saying no one would choose to live, except that "the dread of something after death" makes people submit to the suffering of their lives rather than go to another state of existence which might be even more miserable. The dread of the afterlife, Hamlet concludes, leads to excessive moral sensitivity that makes action impossible: "conscience does make cowards of us all . . . thus the native hue of resolution / Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought." In this way, this speech connects many of the play's main themes, including the idea of suicide and death, the difficulty of knowing the truth in a spiritually ambiguous universe, and the connection between thought and action. In addition to its crucial thematic content, this speech is important for what it reveals about the quality of Hamlet's mind. His deeply passionate nature is complemented by a relentlessly logical intellect, which works furiously to find a solution to his misery. He has turned to religion and found it inadequate to help him either kill himself or resolve to kill Claudius. Here, he turns to a logical philosophical inquiry and finds it equally frustrating." (A/N: Courtesy of Sparknotes )

As I finish my interpretation of the soliloquy, everybody just sweat drops and the teacher is stunned, now content with just letting me sleep through class. As I sit back down, the teacher comes out of her stupor and asks me "A-Ah Very good Echizen-kun. I see you've read Hamlet before haven't you?" "Obviously" I reply with a slight roll of my eyes as I make my way back into dreamland vaguely hearing slight chuckles emitting from the other students.

The rest of the day was pretty much the same, the same looks and the same introductions. I was called upon to answer questions in every single one of my classes and in every single one of them, the teacher was stunned and my classmates chuckled when I answered it perfectly. They're all content now to let me sleep in class if I want to. Now it's lunchtime and oddly, I haven't seen any of my former senpais. Not even a single one of them has been in any of my classes so far. I expected at least one of them to have the same class as me, but no. For lunch, I stayed on the rooftop, away from all the whispers and the glances of the student body in the cafeteria.

School is now done so I make my way to the tennis courts to see if any of my old sempai's are practicing, when I feel a hand on my shoulder. As I look up to see who the hand belongs to I see a familiar pink track suit, it's Ryuuzaki-sensei. "Aren't you supposed to be at Seigaku middle school" I say to her. "Ah, I'm teaching here at the high school now, started when Momoshiro and Kaido entered high school. Figured someone had to keep all of you in line. Anyways, it's good to see you again Echizen. You've changed quit a bit," she says, as she looks at me head to toe, leading me towards her office. "You've gotten taller, and more…what's the word…. prettier." she says as she laughs at the scowl and glare on my face. I swear that if I hear someone tell me I've gotten 'prettier' one more time I'm going to smack them upside the head. "The others are at a tennis match right now. That's why you haven't seen any of them. It's a friendly match between some of the surrounding schools. They'll all be back tomorrow." Said Ryuuzaki-sensei as she hands me a cup of tea. "So?" I ask with a questioning gaze, wondering where she's going with this and what she's planning. "So how was America, you've been doing pretty well, why quit all of a sudden?" She's changing the subject, but I'll play, for now.

"Pretty well? I've been doing great. I'm undefeated in an official match. I'm the number one player."

"So why quit?"

"Got bored."

"Bored? How can you be bored? You were at the top of the world. The best. Earning millions of dollars."

"When you've defeated everyone there is to defeat and played every tournament, there's not much else left to do. It's a boring life.

"Heh, you're just like your stupid father. At least you quit after you reached the top. So what are you planning on doing now? Now that you've quit tennis that is."

"Betsuni." I say to her as a smile adorns her face, that looks a little to similar to one of Fuji-senpai's smiles.

"Okay I get it. So what do you want?" I ask her straight out.

"Tennis practices are same as usual, morning and afternoon. If you're late, you run laps. Tezuka's …" but before she could finish I say to her "Yadda. I'm not joining the Tennis team." By the look on her face, I can guess that she's surprised. "What are you so surprised about?" I ask her "If I still wanted to compete in Tennis matches, I wouldn't have quit professional tennis, trust me there are a lot better people to play against than the ones in the high school matches." I say to her

"I knew it was too good to be true. I can't change your mind can I?" she asks as I shake my head.

"Fine. You're just as stubborn as your stupid father. But why come back here if you're not playing on the team?"

"'Kaa-san. I was bored with tennis so I quit. That's when she decided to enroll me here. She wanted me to go to high school instead of lying around the house. Plus, she thinks I'm going back to how I was before." Why am I even telling her all this?

"Before?"

"Ah…she thinks I'll become a loner again, or so oyaji puts it, that I'll become even more 'socially retarded'." I say to her putting my cup of tea down and indicating that I'd like to leave.

"I have a proposition for you." She says as I get up. "You don't want to join the team correct? Then how about becoming the teams trainer?"

"Trainer?" I repeat…hmm never thought of it before.

"It could be interesting, just the thing to cure your…boredom." She says trying to entice me into the position. "What else could be more interesting, than control over your senpais, hmm?"

"You really want me that badly on the team in any way don't you?"

"Of course" she replies with a cheery smile. "Who wouldn't want the _prince of tennis_ on their team" she said with slightly more emphasis on the words 'prince of tennis'.

Hmm… trainer huh? That's new. I must admit I have been pretty bored lately, being a trainer might help cure my boredom. Having full control over all of my senpais. Oh just the thought of it sends an evil smirk straight to my lips, which Ryuuzaki-sensei didn't fail to notice. She takes this as my agreement as she slams her hands on the desk and says in a cheery voice. "That's great, practice is tomorrow morning, same time as usual. Come to my office first, I don't want to miss the looks on their face when they find out. I wonder how they'll react to the new Echizen." She says as she looks over my new image once again. "Hold on. On one condition." I say as she raises an eyebrow. "I get FULL control over everyone, EVEN Tezuka-buchou. I get to do whatever training I deem fit with NO interference from you," I demand to her. "Fine" she agrees, acting like it was absolutely nothing she was agreeing to. "And, no Inui juice. I cannot be forced into drinking that juice under any circumstances." She nods with a slight chuckle. She waves good-bye as I leave her office and head home. Oh this is going to be SO much fun, all the things I can do now. I guess my life won't be that boring after all. I thought to myself as a sadistic smirk appears across my face.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N:

**Susan22**: I haven't actually decided yet whether or not there will be pairings. I'll see first how the story develops and then decide if I want to include it or not but I don't know where this story is going yet. Sorry I don't have a more definite answer about the pairings. I'll let all of you know when I know.

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**Chapter 3**

Ugh I groan as I turn my alarm clock off and wake up. It's the day they find out that I'm back, the day they find out just what a bored Echizen Ryoma can do. I normally hate waking up early, but I think I'll make an exception to this. Ryuuzaki-sensei was right; the look on their faces when they see me again, is something definitely not to be missed. I get off my bed, get dressed, eat my breakfast, and head off to school. I try to avoid getting anywhere near the tennis courts, no one should see me, practice should have started 20 minutes ago. I enter the school and spot Ryuuzaki-sensei coming out of her office, I call her name out as she turns and faces me. "Echizen, you're late." "Che. At least I'm here. Are we going or what." I say as we both make our way to the courts. She tells me to hang back a bit out of sight, while she gathers everyone together. I guess she really wants this to be a surprise.

I can see her entering the court and calls everyone together to make her announcement. "Listen up everyone! I've got good news! There's been a new transfer student to the school and I've asked him to become your new trainer. He'll be working mainly with the regulars but he may have some pointers for the non-regulars depending on if he feels like it. So all of you work hard. Now all of you have to listen to him. I've given him full control over all of your training regimens. So basically, you have to do whatever he says, at least when it comes to tennis." There was uproar on the court as soon as she finished her sentence. Many of the third years and some second years offended that they had to be trained by someone their age, while many of the first years were just whispering amongst themselves wondering whom this person could be. "ENOUGH!" ordered Tezuka in his loud and commanding voice as I hear him say to Ryuuzaki-sensei "sensei, why wasn't I informed of this?" Yes, I have exceptionally good hearing.

"Oh…" she said, "...I just found out yesterday, besides I thought this would be much more entertaining if you found out this way." as she chuckled at the thought. "Now without further ado..." she continued on "...I'll introduce you to your new trainer." As her head turned towards the entrance, so did everyone else's eyes.

I guess this was my cue, as I stood from my spot and headed towards the court. As soon as I enter the court I hear gasps of surprise and shock. I took literally five steps on to the court when I was suddenly pushed to the ground and a heavy body sat atop me. "OCHIBI!" screamed Kikumaru-senpai as Oishi-senpai thankfully pried him off of me. "Itai." I say softly as I pull myself up off of the ground rubbing the back of my head. However, as soon as I stand up I find that same said person who pushed me to the ground is clingingly tightly to me in one of his death "glomps" screaming "OCHIBI! Your Back! Your Back! Finally! Now we're all together again!!" I could faintly hear him say as everything began to get blurry and my legs began to weaken. "Eiji!! Get off of him! He's turning blue! You'll suffocate him." Said Oishi-senpai as he once again pried his doubles partner off of me. "A-Arigatou oishi-senpai" I coughed out trying to regain my breath as Kikumaru-senpai grinned sheepishly rubbing the back of his head and apologized. I'm finally able to catch my breath when I'm put into a headlock by none other than Momo-senpai. "Echizen!" he exclaimed, "How come you didn't say you were coming back! We would've given you a welcome back party and greeted you at the airport!" "Che" I say, "That's exactly why I never said anything. Besides. I just caught my breath after one of Kikumaru-senpai's death glomps so can you let go of me." I say as his hold over my neck loosens. Now that that's done with, I can finally breath.

"Ii new data, new data." I heard Inui-senpai mutter as he began to scribble furiously through his notebook. "Echizen," he says as he closes his notebook and glares down at me. Yes, I may have grown but so has he. Apparently, I'm still the shortest among them. "I see your milk diet has worked. You now stand at 5 feet 8 inches tall." I know as I grin inwardly, but I'm still shorter than all of you. "Nya! Ochibi's taller now! But he's still shorter so he's still an Ochibi!" Kikumaru-senpai says excitedly while jumping up and down. I scowl at his remark while the others simply chuckle.

"Echizen" says a voice behind me. I know who it is. "buchou." I say as I turn around to greet him. "Welcome back, but I'm not your buchou anymore, you're our trainer."

"Heh" I say as a grin spreads across my face while the others look back and forth from me to Fuji-senpai, apparently noticing the slight similarities. With all the excitement and crushing me to death, it had slipped my mind and apparently it did with the others as well as they all began to process what the captain had just said with shocked looks on their faces.

"Saa, you're right. So what would you like me to call you then? Tezuka-san, Tezuka-kun, or how about … Ku-ni-mit-su." I say emphasizing every part of his name. I smile triumphantly as I catch a slight blush adorn his face as I hear the click of a shutter behind me. I turn around and Fuji-senpai seems to have the same smile as me, as he waves his camera indicating he just captured Tezuka's blush on camera.

"Fujiko! Let me see. Let me see," says Kikumaru-senpai as he makes his way over to where Fuji is. "Kya! Tezuka-buchou's blushing!"

"Kikumaru!" says Tezuka as Kikumaru-senpai immediately stands straighter and begins to behave before he gets Tezuka upset anymore than he already has.

"Echizen." He says to me warningly

"What…" I begin to say but stay silent since he hasn't told me what he wants me to call him yet. However, it seems he didn't understand since he still continues to stand there silently and stare at me, expecting me to continue.

"You never said what you want me to call you. So either say something or I could continue calling you Ku-ni-mit-su" I say with a smile, indicating my amusement with the whole thing. I also note a slight chuckle being emitted from Fuji-senpai and Kikumaru-senpai. However, from what I can gather from the glare that Tezuka's throwing my way, it seems he's slightly less than amused by the whole situation as he sighs and says

"Tezuka will be fine."

"Hai, Tezuka" I say as I laugh inwardly. I knew this would cure my endless boredom.

I turn around still amused by the whole thing as I am surrounded by an onslaught of greetings from the team. It seems most of the members at Seigaku middle school had come to the high school and joined here as well. The freshman trio is here, and so are Arai and his friends. Horio is in fact right beside me screaming something about his now 5 years of experience and something about beating me. I'm not sure; I tuned him out after he said 5 years of experience. I begin to tune everyone else out as I hear a loud cough coming from behind the crowd.

As they all turn around we see that it's Ryuuzaki-sensei, who is smiling happily. Seems she found the whole ordeal amusing as well. "Now that you've all greeted him, can we now move on to introducing him to the others who haven't met him before." she says, as we notice the few people who are still standing in their place.

"Hai" they all say as they run back to their place before the captain and the coach as I finally make my way over to them and begin my introductions

"Echizen Ryoma, I'm sure you've all heard of me, you can google me if you don't because I'm tired of making introductions." Yes I know it's a little rude, but I've done this 6 times already, it's too damn early in the morning, and I just got the wind knocked out of me a just a couple moments ago. "Echizen/Ochibi!!" I hear the two loudest members exclaim. "Don't be so rude!"

"Fine! I'm your new trainer, do what I say or else!! As Ryuuzaki-sensei said, I can do whatever training I see fit, that also includes any punishments I see fit as well. You better not have any problems with the fact that I'm younger than all of you because your all made made da ne." I then look up to buchou, indicating to him that I'm done and to dismiss them all.

Morning practice goes pretty smoothly, all of the members don't seem to have a problem with me training them, seeing as though they know I can beat all of them in a game of tennis, although none of them are concentrating, all of them looking at the new me. I let buchou order them around while I sat under a tree taking in some much needed sleep. Ah, the beauty of being the trainer, I can order around Tezuka, and I can be as late as I want to be and I don't have to run laps or drink Inui's juice.

Morning practice has ended, thankfully buchou kept them all busy enough to give me some semblance of a peaceful morning. However, that didn't last long, as all eight regulars, ran up to the tree I was currently sleeping under. However unbeknownst to me, a certain redhead saw fit to glomp me again at that exact moment. "Ochibi!!Wake up! Wake up!" He shouts as he grabs me up and forces me to stand. As I rub my eyes and yawn, trying to get myself to wake up I can't help but feel that they're staring at me. I open my eyes and I see that I'm right. All of their eyes are on me, taking in my new look.

"Saa Echizen.," says Fuji, "You've changed. You've gotten…." I swear if he says 'prettier'…

"You've gotten prettier nya!" exclaims Kikumaru-senpai, interrupting Fuji-senpai.

"Saa Eiji, I was going to say that." Said Fuji with a fake pout.

"Gomen Gomen. Fujiko." Said Kikumaru-senpai running over to Fuji to apaologize and hug him. "But look…" he said pointing at me. " … His height, his face, his hair … even his sunglasses, he's gotten so much cooler and much more prettier." He finishes off as a tennis ball connects to his head.

"Ochibi!" He shouts as I begin to walk towards the school as the bell rings, indicating that classes are starting soon.

Apparently luck wasn't on my side. Every single one of my classes contained at least one of my senpai's. Third year English had buchou, Fuji-senpai, and Inui-senpai. Buchou, who apparently seemed disappointed that I slept throughout all of English, and Inui-senpai who kept muttering "Ii data data. Sleep Patterns" and Fuji-senpai who did nothing but chuckle and smile at the scene before him. I also have history and business with Oishi-senpai and Kawamura-senpai. I have music with Kikumaru-senpai and Fuji-senpai. I have Math with Oishi-senpai and chemistry and physics with Inui-senpai. I think he was slightly shocked when he saw me enter, and even more shocked when I answer the teacher's question without batting an eye. Anyways, that was my day at school. Turns out I won't be left alone in any of my classes. Oh Joy. At least I have a free period away from all the crowds.

It's now the last period of the day, my free period. Everyone is still in class and I'm just wandering around waiting for practice to start. I have an…. interesting…. new training regime that I wanted to try out. I've already got all the equipment needed for it; I just have to set it up which I'll do when practice starts. So with nothing to do, I head to my favorite tree, recounting the days events.At lunch, I went up to the roof top to get some peace and quit, but apparently the others knew I'd be there.

**Flashback to lunch**

"Echizen!" Momo exclaimed as they all came up to me and sat around me pulling out their lunches. "Why didn't you call or email us. We're your friends! You should've called or visited. Haven't you ever heard of keeping in touch!"

"C he! It's not like I never emailed you guys. I kept in touch.." I say with a scowl at the over-exaggeration of my best friend.

"An email every six months to either Tezuka-buchou or Inui-senpai doesn't count!" shouted Momo.

"Well sorry for being busy. I was only training my ass off and playing practically every single tournament I could." I said to him, with sarcasm and boredom laced in my voice.

"Maa Maa Echizen, no need to be so snarky. We're just surprised to see you. It's been around 3 years after all." Said Fuji-senpai with his ever-present smile. You're up to something I know it. You don't smile like that and not be up to something, believe me, I know.

"I'm not up to anything Echizen, I was just wondering what's with your sudden appearance." Does he read minds or something?

"No Echizen, I don't read minds."

"What the? But how did you…?" I said looking at Fuji-senpai wondering how he just did that.

"I'm just really good at reading people. You've been good at avoiding our questions all day Echizen. So now that we have you here, why don't you tell us why you're in third year and why you quit tennis?"

"Echizen are you okay? Are you hurt? Do you have some sort of injury preventing you from playing tennis?" asked a worried Oishi-senpai.

I sigh; I guess there's no way out of this. "I'm in third year because I can be." I tell them. Like I'm actually going to tell them that I graduated from university already, that'd probably get me more "glomping" and more headlocks from those two. "Quit tennis, because I was bored."

**End of Flashback**

"Echizen. Echizen"

I can hear someone calling my name off in the distance. I don't want to wake up. Five more minutes I say as I swat away the hand that's trying to get me up.

"Echizen. It's time to get up. It's time for practice."

Urgh. I groan as I stand up and make my way to the clubroom and Fuji-senpai walks onto the courts where buchou, is ordering everyone around. As I finish changing Ryuuzaki-sensei knocks on the door and as I open it she greets me with a warm smile and says, "ready for your first training regime." As I hand her a box full of gadgets we'll use today.

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A/N:

So everyone, here it is. How do you like it? Read & review please.


	4. Chapter 4

**PAIRINGS DECISION:** Okay everyone, I've finally decided whether or not this story will have any pairings in it. My final decision sadly, is no. This story will **NOT** have any pairings at all, however there may be some hints to certain pairings, but that's all(depends on how i write the later chapters). Sorry if that disappointing or what not, but I want this story to mainly focus on the friendship between Ryoma and the Seigaku regulars, hence no pairings. However, I may put up a sequel to this story once I finsh it that might include pairings, but that all depends on a couple of things. **1**. whether or not I can think of a decent story to write **2. **how many reviews I get, the more people that review the beigger incentive i have to write more. so review ppl.

**UPDATES**: I'm grateful to all of youthat you're reading my story and you really like it. I'm ecstatic, that I've had over 1300 hits to my story thus far. I've mentioned this on my profile page as well, updates will be on average, about every 5 days or so. It's the best I can do at the moment. Sorry about that. I will also be posting any other updates regarding this story and any of my other stories on my profile page as well. Generally, if it hasn;t been posted in like 4 or 5 days than i'll try and post a message there just to let all of you know.

Now, with all that said, onto the story...

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**Chapter 4**

"What's this?" she asks me as she looks down on all of the coloured squares that litter the box.

"Call it…. A new and improved version of Inui's cone training."

"Heh…Omoshiro" I hear her say as we both walk onto the courts boxes in hand.

Everyone notes are entrance and all the regular's curiosity is piqued at the site of sensei and me carrying boxes. "Ochibi" of course he's the first one to remark, "What's in those boxes?" I don't answer him though as Ryuuzaki-sensei's loud and booming voice asks for all the regulars to gather round. They all look at me, ready for me to explain.

"All of you remember Inui's cone and colour training correct?" As they all nod and remember how tiring it was. "This will be something similar to that. In this box, there are small squares colored red, blue and yellow, about the size of a tennis ball. If you press the center of the square an electronic voice will emit stating the colour of the square. What all of you will be doing is hitting the ball to it's corresponding square. However, you lose if the square doesn't state the colour of the square or if you hit the wrong square. You'll have 30 balls each and weights as well." As I finished explaining I look upon them to see their comedic reactions

"Eh?" said Momo-senpai. "So that means we have to hit it dead center. That's hard."

"Fshh…So does that mean you can't do it?" said Kaido-senpai, provoking Momo-senpai.

"What did you say Mamushi?" Not this again, I'm not in the mood to hear one of their arguments.

"ENOUGH!" I shout, getting all of their attentions. They were all surprised to hear me so authoritative.

"Let's move on. Ryuuzaki-sensei will be the one helping me with this and Kachiro and Katsuo…" I said as I pointed to them and everyone looked, just noticing that the two freshmen were standing there "…will also be helping me."

"Now let's see, here are the results of our little game..." I said as I walked up the tired players.

"Buchou, of course you had got every single one of them, as expected. Inui, Fuji, You both failed to hit the correct square twice. Oishi ,Taka and Kaido, both of you failed to hit 3 squares and hit the incorrect square 4 times as well. Then there are you two." I say with clear disappointment written all over my face.

"Hehe" chuckled Momo-senpai nervously. "It's not my fault. It was tiring. You set it up so we would fail."

I look at him with a raised eyebrow and say "not your fault eh. So I supposed it's the ball's fault for moving in the wrong direction, or maybe the racket, better yet, it's the square's fault for not making any sound. Momo-senpai you missed the square 5 times and failed to hit the correct square 6 times" I said as Kikumaru-senpai started chuckling at Momo-senpai's expense. I glare at him and his chuckling soon ceases.

"Kikumaru-senpai, you didn't do that much better than Momo-senpai so I don't think you should be laughing at his expense. You missed the square 5 times as well and you failed to hit the correct square 5 times, just one less than Momo-senpai. Now that I finished telling you the results, here's your punishment. You'll be running laps."

As I told them their punishment, the look on confusion was set on their faces. They really thought that was all huh? "Eh? That's it!" Exclaimed Momo-senpai "We run laps every practice what's the big deal about that. "I'm not done. Yes. You'll be running laps, but the amount of laps is dependent on who performed the worst. For every square you failed to hit you'll run twenty laps and for every square you hit incorrectly, you'll run 10 laps."

"Seriously?!" exclaimed both Kikumaru-senpai and Momo-senpai.

"Yes. And…." But before I could tell them the rest, Momo interrupted me yet again shocked at how sadistic I could be.

"If you'll let me finish…and you'll all be wearing these power bars on top of the ones you're already wearing. You'll have 15 minutes to finish your laps, If you don't finish your laps on time, then you'll have another special treat courtesy of Inui-senpai." As the words escape my mouth I can see the dread over come them at the thought of drinking another one of Inui's "special" drinks.

"Now if my calculations are correct, Momo-senpai was the worst, so thanks to him you'll all be running 160 laps." I say as Momo receives a bunch of glares from the remaining regulars. "I believe I finished" I look down at each of them signaling them to start their laps.

As the others set off on their laps, Ryuuzaki-sensei approaches me and says. "Interesting. Where'd you come up with it?" She asks, partly disappointed that she hadn't come up with anything like it.

"Just a thought. Always been wanting to try it on someone." I tell her, it was actually the truth. As I stand there resting and drinking a can of ponta, (How I got it you ask? I always carry a can of ponta around nowadays) my cell phone rings, it's my mother calling. I wonder what she wants; she knows I'm training the team.

"Ryoma"

"Hai Okaasan"

"I've got a surprise for you!" Ugh I groan and roll my eyes at the thought, her surprises are never good and usually involve embarrassing me in some way.

"Don't act like that! It's a good thing I promise and don't roll your eyes." How did—never mind, let's just chalk it up to motherly instincts.

"Fine. What is it Okaasan" I ask her

"I've entered you into a competition." She says, I can picture her smiling from ear to ear right now. "A Musical Concourse. I thought you might enjoy it" So she says, but really she thinks and I quote 'Oyaji had his turn with tennis to do whatever he likes, now it's my turn' I guess she wants music. I'm not surprised by this anymore, after all, Oyaji entered me into things all the time without my consultation or knowledge, I'd usually find out when it was too late to do anything about it. So I just sigh and agree. Get it over with, there's no use in protesting now, not with my mother. No one says no to her in our family.

"Fine." I say with clear disdain laced in my voice "When is it?"

"Oh. It's this Saturday! Hope you have fun I have to go now and deal with business. I'll be there to watch you though. Ja." She says as she hangs up the phone

"What?!" I shout but it's too late and everyone seems to have heard me scream and look my way. "1 more minute" I say glancing down at my watch.

"Burning!" shouts kawamura-senpai as he holds his racket and clears a path for everyone else behind him.

They've all made it to the finish line on time, as they all collapse to the ground breathless.

When they finally catch their breath Oishi asks me "Echizen? Are you okay? Are you sick? Who was on the phone?" while feeling my forehead to see if I have a fever.

"Oishi-senpai" I say, "everything's fine, that was just my mother." I tell him, hoping that they don't try and ask for any more details.

"Is everything alright? Is someone hurt? Is someone you know in the hospital? Do you…" He started rambling again non stop.

"OISHI-SENPAI!" I shout, interrupting his questioning. "It's fine. Everyone's fine. No-one's in a hospital."

"So why'd you scream like that Ochibi?" asked Kikumaru-senpai. Damn nosey senpais.

"She just had to tell me of some plans that she scheduled this weekend." Please I hope they don't ask anymore, but I have a feeling that God's not on my side.

"Saa Echizen, what kind of plans? What kind of plans would you have that would make you scream out like that?" Of course, of course him, the tensai has to find out. What was I thinking, it's a little mystery that he wants to solve, both him and Inui feel like they have to know everything that goes on in everyone's life.

"Nothing important." I tell him, hoping that will satisfy him but as he's about to speak up, telling me basically that he wants to know more, Ryuuzaki-sensei interrupts.

"So I guess that was your mother Echizen, informing you about this Saturday?" How the hell did she know? Damn them, always plotting things behind my back.

"Your mother told me about it last week, seems she came across someone she knew who organized the whole thing and apparently they had an open spot so she decided to sign you up for it." She's saying too much information, at the rate this is going; they're going to figure everything out. Damn. How do I stop her? Oh no, it's already too late as I can see the gears working in Inui and Fuji-senpai's heads.

"Saa Echizen, you're entering a competition, what kind. I doubt its tennis because I haven't heard of any tennis competitions being held on Saturday." said Fuji-senpai with a smile and closed eyes.

"Competition on Saturday... hmmm..." said Inui-senpai as everyone turned their heads realizing he knew something.

"Nya. Inui. It's not nice to keep secrets. Come on! Tell us! Tell us what Ochibi's hiding from us." said an excited jumping Kikumaru-senpai.

"If it's a competition this Saturday, the only one being held is... the districts Musical Concourse. Echizen, I didn't know you played an Instrument." said Inui-senpai looming over his notebook scribbling furiously, my guess is about the new information about music and me.

"Nya Ochibi! You play an instrument? Which? Which? Where's the competition? Can we come and watch you play? Can we? Can we?" said Kikumaru-senpai, sounding like an excited child who was just promised ice cream. This is exactly why I didn't want them to find out.

"No you can't come" I tell them all in a very blunt response as I hear a slight chuckle in the background. It's Ryuuzaki-sensei...she's still here?

"Ryuuzaki-sensei," says Kawamura-senpai "you know where Echizen is playing?"

"Yes. Of course, in fact, I'll be going on Saturday to see him play."

"ba-san, you have to take us, you have to." pleads Momo-senpai.

"Yadda" I say hoping she'll do me a favor and not tell them where it is, wait, I don't even know where it is, but the smile on her face tells me otherwise.

"Of course you can come, well just meet at the gates Saturday morning and we'll all go straight there," she tells them all.

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A/N:

I Hope all of you loved the story. Please Review, I want to know what all of you think of it. I was skimming through this, and realized that maybe I should be putting in some Japanese-English translations to the Japanese words I've used, I've only uses common words that I've seen in animes, but if you don't know feel free to ask. And if any of you do ask, then I'll try my best to put them in in other chapters.

Ta-Ta for now, see all of you in a week or so. :D


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Sorry for the long wait everybody but for a special bonus! I'll be posting two chapter today 5 and 6 are up. Hope you enjoy.

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Chapter 5

It's Saturday morning. The competition starts at 10am, so I have about 3 more hours to finish preparing. This is so last minute, I barely had enough time to find and practice my piece. Luckily for me that Nanako can be my accompaniment so I didn't have to go and search for one. It should be fine. I've chosen to play the Polonaise (No.1) de concert in D major, Op. 4 composed by Henryk Wieniawski. I've played this piece a dozen times.

I'm now backstage at the concert hall with all the other contestants, all waiting for our turn on stage. I really don't want to do this. Music has always been something for me, something I've never really shared with other people, other than my family of course. It's always been a bit private, a way for me to calm down and gather my thoughts. However, 'kaa-san insists that I do this and whatever she wants she gets. She's always wanted me to do this, to get involved more in musical competitions, but Oyaji's stubbornness always won over. He always insisted that I get proper training for tennis so he could play me while he was still in his prime and I guess she's tired of waiting. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn't notice that Nanako stood right beside me talking.

"...A lot of people." I hear the last of what she said.

"Eh? What'd you say Nanako? I didn't catch that," I said as I looked up to her

"Oh nothing much, I was just commenting on how many people showed up today. Come on, let's go see if we can see ba-san and ji-san and your friends." She said while pulling me to towards the stage to peek out at the audience

As we look over the sea of people, there are many nameless faces among them. A lot of people I don't know and I've never seen before, however there's a certain group of people that stand out. Right dead center in the front row are my senpais, Ryuuzaki-sensei, 'kaa-san, and oyaji.

Kikumaru-senpai and Fuji-senpai see me peeking out with Nanako and they wave hello mouthing the words "good luck" since it's too loud to hear their voices over the crowd of people. Momo-senpai, Oishi-senpai and Kawamura-senpai send thumbs up and a smile my way. Lastly, Tezuka-senpai and Inui-senpai give a curt nod. I didn't really get any good luck from Kaido-senpai, but I think I vaguely heard the sound of a hiss at some point.

The competition starts as the first person makes their way on stage. There are five people playing in this concourse today. Other than me, there's another Violinist, a Cellist, a Flute player, and a Trumpet player. The other violinist is the first to play, next will be the Flute player, then the Trumpet player, after that is the Cellist and finally me, the other violinist, dead last. (A/N: I don't really know what a flute player or trumpet player is called but if you guys know please tell me and I'll correct it)

It is soon my turn to play as the Cellist has now finished playing his piece as he and his accompaniment has bowed and is now heading off the stage as I wait alongside Nanako for the prompter to announce our names.

"Now the final performer will be Echizen Ryoma, performing a Henryk Wieniawski composition, 'Polonaise (No.1) de concert in D major, Op. 4.' "

I walk onto the stage, violin in hand as the prompter announces my name as I hear a very loud "Go Ochibi!" from none other than Kikumaru-senpai. I'm wearing a basic black suit, white dress shirt with a red tie. I hate wearing suits. If I could wear shorts and a golf shirt, I would. My hair is neatly combed and styled. Nanako walks alongside me. Her hair is let down and she wears a simple red flowing dress. She really wanted to wear it and insisted that we had to match, hence the red tie. I make my way to centre stage as Nanako walks over to the piano. Under the spotlight I close my eyes and bring the violin up to my shoulders and below my chin

I take a deep breath and begin playing the piece as Nanako begins playing on the piano. The auditorium is silent, all eyes on me as my bow flows over the strings gracefully. I can hear everything now. Every note, every beat of the music is flowing through me. I can feel the strength and the power of this piece. This is what I love about playing music. The way it draws you in, how you can feel every beat and every tone in your body. It can express so many different emotions without uttering a single word. The way it can calm you down in times of anger or pump you up for a competition, how it can change your emotions in a single moment.

It's funny that I chose this particular piece really. Some have said it can be used to describe opening up. (A/N: don't really know about this but I'm using la corda d'oro as a reference. It was played by len in the first selection where the theme was opening up.) A song related to opening up huh. I find it funny that out of all the songs to choose and at this particular point in time of my life, this is what I decide to do. I wonder if that signifies anything. Am I really ready? Am I ready to open up to people? To trust people? To trust them? Will they betray me? Will they treat me differently when they find out the truth? Am I ready to open to them?

These thoughts and questions fill my brain as I open my eyes and look down at my friends. They all have amusing faces, their mouths hang open in a sort of "O" shape and their eyes are wide open, sans Tezuka-senpai, Fuji-senpai, whose eyes are just open right now, and Inui-senpai, whose scribbling furiously in his notebook, but they all look like they're enjoying this. So here I am in front of all of them, opening up so to speak. Showing them bits and pieces about myself they never knew, albeit against my own will. So am I really ready to do this? Am I really ready to trust again?

These thoughts continue to fill my brain as I finish the piece as the auditorium is filled with a thunderous applause from the crowd and shouts from my senpais.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Yay! two chapters and I also put up another oneshot for my story Randomness (Ouran High Fic) I'm on a roll today!

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Chapter 6

I won the competition, obviously. I may have entered by force or without my knowledge, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to lose either. As I open the door to head outside with the others I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn around and see that it's Nanako. "Ryoma-kun, that was a wonderful performance. Very powerful, very overwhelming, it was truly amazing. Congratulations on winning." She says and she gives me a slight hug as we head out towards the others.

"Echizen." Says Tezuka-senpai "Your performance was good."

"Arigato Tezuka-senpai."

"Ochibi! Sugoi! Sugoi! Sugoi!" screamed Kikumaru senpai as he glomped me. "Congratulations on winning. That was so amazing! It was so beautiful."

"Yea, Echizen, You have an amazing musical talent. Your performace was absolutely stunning, very powerful, very overwhelming." Said Fuji-senpai

"Echizen!" said Momo as he slapped my back hard, "Never knew you could play like that. How could you keep something like that secret from us? How could you huh?"

"Congratulations Echizen" said both Oishi-senpai and Kawamurah-senpai

"Fshhhh"

"Now, it's time to celebrate your win Echizen, why don't we all head down to Kawamura's Sushi." Said Ryuuzaki-sensei.

"Ryoma, you go and have fun with your friends" Said okaa-san with a bright smile.

"Yea brat, go on with your friends, me and your mom got a date." He said grinning from ear to ear. "And don't wait up for us!" he said as they made their way to leave, arms wrapped securely around 'kaa-san's waist.

"Ryoma-kun, I'll leave you to have fun with your friends okay. Plus, I have some work to catch up on." She said as she too made her way too leave.

As we enter Kawamura's sushi restaurant, his father greets me with a smile congratulating me on a job well done at the Musical Concourse, apparently Kawamura-senpai informed him of my victory already. "How about some sushi as congratulations. I'll make you anything you want." He says.

The rest of the afternoon goes by pretty smoothly. Momo-senpai was eating a lot of food and fighting with Kaido-senpai while Kikumaru-senpai was complaining to Oishi-senpai that he didn't have enough food to eat. He remembered this time to stay away from Fuji-senpai's food. Inui-senpai was just watching everybody while writing in his notebook while buchou sat at the bar with Ryuuzaki-sensei.

Everyone kept complimenting me on how good I played. They were all so surprised that I played an instrument and feigned anger that I never told a single one of them about it. It was pretty normal, well as normal for us as you can get. Everything was going fine, that is until a certain monkey king decided to enter the shop.

"Ahn. Yuushi, why are we here? The food here is not enough to satisfy ore-sama's exquisite taste buds. Ahn. Who is that I see sulking in a corner? Is that the brat trying to hide from ore-sama?" Crap he saw me. Great my day is just getting better and better, lucky me! I guess there's no use hiding anymore. "What do you want monkey king?"

"Ore-sama didn't know you got back into town. When did you get back?" he asks ignoring my question

"What does it matter to you? Why should I tell you when I come back to Japan?" seriously. What is up with him?

"Brat. You're still as rude as ever. You're lucky that you're…" crap I know what he's going to say. I thought I told him not to tell anyone that. Yes Atobe knows. Of course he knows, the Atobe family is a rich and powerful family in Japan, the Takeuchi and the Atobe family have been close friends and business partners for years. I've known him for ten years now, first meeting when I was 5 years old, when I wasn't the next heir. He's just as annoying now as he was then, the same arrogant monkey that insists o referring to himself in the third person.

"What do you want Monkey-king?" I say interrupting him, earning questioning glances from three certain people.

"Ahn. How rude. No one interrupts the great ore-sama brat. After I so graciously allowed you to be in my presence. Kabaji, let's go."

"Aww, but…" said an awake and pouting Jirou-senpai as Atobe stormed out of the restaurant. "…Okay…. bye Fuji!!" he said with smiling and jumping as he left.

"That was odd." Said Momo-senpai. "It's like they just appeared out of nowhere. A random occurrence." "Fshhuuuu" hissed Kaido-senpai as we all continued to eat our sushi and enjoy the celebration. However, as I sit there with my sushi, while Momo-senpai rattles on about some inane topic, I can't help but feel three sets of eyes staring at me. I turn around and notice that it's none other than Fuji-senpai, who smiles one of his trademark smiles, Tezuka-senpai and Inui-senpai. As I look at them I think back to my performance and the thoughts that filled my brain. I don't think the question is whether or not I'm ready to open up, I think now it's whether or not I have a choice to.

As I turn back to my food, I get lost in my own thoughts, as Momo-senpai and Kaidoh-senpai have now taken to fighting with each other as per usual. I know now that I can't keep this secret forever. It's only been a couple days since I got back and parts of me I never intended for them to see are already coming out. I remember the looks in their eyes. They know I'm holding something back. They know I'm keeping something from them. I could never get anything past them. So the question is do I face up to it now and tell them all, or prolong it as long as I possibly can.

As I head home from the celebration still mulling over the same thoughts, my phone rings. I answer it and it's none other than the damn Monkey King.

"What do you want Monkey King?" I say as I answer the phone.

"Hnn…. You should be grateful that Ore-sama even bothered to grace you with his beautiful voice. And Ore-sama can call anyone he wants to." He said.

"So what DO you want?"

"You still haven't told them have you?" He asked seriously all of a sudden "how long do you plan on hiding this from them? They'll find out eventually, especially with Fuji and Inui. I'm surprised they haven't already found out about your family."

"They'll find out when I want them to find out. No sooner, No later." I say with a slight harshness in my voice that was unintended.

"You know you can't keep this from them forever. The truth always finds a way of coming out." He said.

"Yea. Yea Whatever." I say as I end the call. I know he's right. I have to tell them, I should tell them. I just can't bring myself to actually do it.

"Tadaima."

I enter the house as I see Nanako-san, standing by the phone, staring at me in utter shock and sorrow as the phone slips from her grasp and drops to the floor in loud thud.

"Ryoma-kun …"

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A/N: wonder what happened? What do you think. I hope you guys will like the direction I'm taking with this story.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/n:** Hey everyone! I'm back!! So I have my desktop back at least a little bit anyways. So here's a present to all of you. I hope you all like it and I hope you all continue to read my story. I still don't know where this story is going or where I want it to end up so I hope all of you bare with me.

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**Chapter 7**

Nanako's words pierce through me, running through my head. It's all I can hear, all I can think about. "_Ryoma-kun, Oba-san and Oji-san have been in a car accident… They died on impact._" She said to me as I walked in the door after the team gave me a celebration at Kawamura sushi for my performance in the musical concourse. It can't be true right? It's just some sick and stupid joke that Oyaji is playing on me right? Right? But Nanako-san's face, the way she said it, the way she looked, the utter shock and despair she showed. It's true.

I have no idea what's going on around me at the moment, I can vaguely feel someone helping me up and being put in a car. Nothing else exists for me. The only thing I can see and hear is Nanako-san as she told me about Oyaji and Okaa-san.

I don't believe it! As much as my reasoning is telling me! I can't believe it! I won't believe it. I keep telling myself this as I can feel another pair of arms help me out of the car and we walk into a building. My feet are moving on it's own now, trusting the person beside me. The next thing I know is that I am seated again. I am still lost in my own little world. I just want to stay here for a little while, here, in this place, in my mind, where everything is like it was, where I still have a family.

"Ryoma!" The voice penetrates my mind, through my self-induced stupor and calls me out. My mind immediately reawakens from the loud scream and the first thing I see is a blinding light before me, and I cover my eyes automatically with my hands in response. I hear several sighs being emitted.

"Echizen-sama will be fine. He was in a state of shock." I hear someone in front of me say as I blink rapidly trying to get the dots out of my eyes. (A/N: I'm sure all of you know what I mean. You know when you look at a bright light, like a camera flash or what not a lot of times and when the light disappears, you always see a bunch of dots.) Now that I can finally see, I see that the people in front of me are Nanako-san and the Doctor. His nameplate reads Dr. Akihira.

"Ryoma-kun. Yokatta. I was so worried about you." She said as she wrapped her arms around me in a crushing bear hug. "This is Dr. Akihira, he's … he's here to take us to oba-san and oji-san." She said with distraught eyes, staring down at the floor. "We…We have to … identify their bodies." She said on the verge of tears.

"If you'll follow me, I'll take you to them."

Ten minutes later we were in a room at the hospital, Nanako, with arms wrapped around my shoulder as we stood by the hospital bed waiting for the doctor to remove the sheets that covered both of the bodies. He pulls back the sheets ever so slowly and as the faces of both are finally revealed, my legs give way as Nanako braces herself on the wall crying her eyes out and nodding to the doctor indicating that it's them.

Oyaji. Oka-san. I--. Its-- How? Why? I'm all alone now, the only one left. (A/N: For all intents and purposes, Ryoga does not exist.) I'll never be able to play another tennis game with Oyaji. No more holidays or birthdays to spend with them, I'm alone. I'll never be able to hear Oyaji call me bishounen again. I wanted to get him to stop calling me that but not this way. Not like this. I wanted to wipe that smirk off his face and make him cry, BUT I STILL WANTED HIM HERE! I didn't want them to die. I'd give anything to here him snicker and call me "bishounen" or have 'kaa-san call me "Kawaii" again. I'd eat western-style breakfast everyday if it meant that they'd still be here.

"H-How … What happened?" asked Nanako-san to the doctor in a strained voice, bringing me out of my thoughts while I sat motionless on the floor

"It was a car accident. From what I was told it was a drunk driver. If it helps at all, know that they didn't suffer at all. They died upon impact. I'm so sorry for your loss. Echizen Nanjiroh-san was a hero of mine from when I was little. He was a great person. I'll leave you two in peace." He said as he quietly walked out of the room.

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**A/N:**

I'm mean aren't I? I killed off BOTH of his parents. I know most already expected something to happen to his parents. So what do you all think? I know it's short, but this is where the scene cuts off and I'm still working on the next chapter. Please Review! I won't know what all of you think of my chapters if you don't review.

BTW. GO CANADA in the summer Olympics (even though we completely suck and I won't be surprised if we don't win a single meddle, see how much national pride I have) but more than that. I wanna see another NADAl/FEDERER match up for tennis!


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **I'm back!! Here's the long awaited chapter 8. On the plus side I finally got my new laptop so hopefully the updates come sooner this time around. I hope all of you like this chapter. Sorry if there's any grammar or spelling mistakes, I didn't feel like rereading it in order to check.

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**Chapter 8**

It's now the next morning. After coming home from the hospital I went straight to my room and plopped myself onto my bed and just lay there for the rest of the night. I didn't sleep; I just lay there staring at the ceiling. I tossed and turned every couple of minutes, earning myself curious glances from Karupin, worried about its master. I kept looking at the clock as the hours passed by one o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock, that's when I got fed up, faced the other side and tried to go to sleep

It's now 6:30 in the morning, the sun is rising, my alarm goes off now, but I'm too lazy to turn around and shut it off. . Did I even fall asleep? Or Did I just stay up the whole night? I don't know anymore.

"Good Morning Everyone! It's 6:30 in the morning and today is going to be a beautiful day out today." I hear the dj announce on the radio. "All of you out there better go outside today and take advantage of this amazing weather we're having right now."

Beautiful day huh? How beautiful is it? Both of my parents are dead, my only family left is Nanako-san and I STILL haven't told my senpais the truth about my family. Yes, today is really beautiful. If it were any other day under any other circumstances I would be outside. I would be playing tennis and practicing with my teammates or playing my music. However, I can't bring myself to do it today. I don't have the strength to pick myself off of my bed, but apparently my stomach doesn't care as it starts growling. I guess I have no choice now do I, as I slide my feet off the bed and shuffle downstairs still in my pajamas.

"Ryoma-kun. Morning. I made your favourite breakfast, grilled fish." She said as she places the food on the table. Her voice seems sort of lifeless today, but I guess it can't be helped. We're still getting over last night's events. I see her try to smile, try to reassure me that everything's okay and everything's going to be all right, but I know it's not. I'm glad I still have her here. I don't know what I would do if it was really just me.

"Ryoma-kun, I've called the school and told them you wouldn't be in today. I've already called Takahiro as well, he'll be arriving here this afternoon to help us out with everything." So he'll be coming huh. I'm sorry Takahiro, for interrupting your time with your family. Matsumoto Takahiro, a servant of our family. He's the most trusted and loyal out of everyone. He was assigned to my mother when she was young, when he had just recently started serving the family, he's been with us ever since. When I was born, he served as a sort of bodyguard and to protect me from Oyaji's craziness when Okaa-san wasn't around to reel him in. He's part of the family now, but he has his own family; which is why he didn't come with us when we came back. He's been so loyal to us, Okaa-san decided to give him a vacation so he could spend time with his family, since I didn't really need a bodyguard 24/7, he's been away from them for so long. The rest of breakfast was spent in silence, both of us not having anything to say, lost in our inner thoughts, staring at the food in front of us.

"Echizen!" I hear my name being shouted from outside as I headed upstairs after finishing my breakfast. It's Momo-senpai. I'm about to head out and tell him I won't be in, when I hear the door open.

"Momoshiro-kun," Nanako shouts from the doorway as she approaches the front gate to probably tell Momo-senpai that I'm not going to school today.

I wake up after a good rest. It's now around lunchtime, 12:35 to be exact. I make my way down stairs to the kitchen since my stomach has seen fit to disturb me from my sleep, again, because it was hungry. As I quietly make my way down the stairs, I pause slightly at hearing voices in the living room.

"I'm worried about him." That's Nanako-san, but I wonder whom she's talking to.

"It's understandable though, his parents just died. He needs time to grieve." That voice, it sounds so familiar, but I can't seem to place it. I know that voice. Takahiro! That's it! I guess he's finally arrived in town to help us out.

"I know that. He should grieve, that's what troubles me the most. He hasn't shed a single tear. His parents just died and he hasn't cried once. Even when he saw them on their deathbed, he didn't cry. He needs to grieve; he needs to let his emotions out. I'm worried that he may revert to his old self. I know I'm worrying too much and it's only been a couple hours, but he's so young, and to lose his parents like this." I could hear her sobbing slightly and feet shuffling across the floor before a "Meow" erupt from the top of the stairs. Thanks Karupin. I glare at him slightly as I make my way downstairs, interrupting their conversation. I'm sorry for worrying you so much Nanako-san.

"Ryoma-kun. Good Afternoon. Look who's here." She said as she quickly wiped away her tears. Takahiro stood up and bowed before me. Takahiro stood a little over six feet tall. He was of a slim muscular build, with jet-black hair; well it's kind of graying now and fair skin. He didn't really look like much, but he could knock you down in two seconds flat if he wanted to. He was trained in Karate, Judo, Kendo, and Aikido, not to mention he's an excellent marksman. He really isn't someone you want to mess with. However, he's not just all brawn; he's smart and knowledgeable and has a knack for business.

"Ryoma-sama. I'm glad to be back, but I'm sorry that it's under these circumstances. I'm incredibly sorry for your loss. Your parents were great people. I loved them both dearly. They'll both be missed."

"Thank you Takahiro. I'm glad you're back too." I say as I head towards the kitchen, holding back my emotion. I need to get this done. I'm the last one left. I'm the heir to the Takeuchi fortune. Everything my family has worked for is in my hands. I have to do this. I have to be strong. I can't act like a baby and start crying for my mommy. Not like I'd do that anyways, I have some pride as a man. I have to take the responsibility that was passed down on to me.

"Ryoma-kun, there's some lunch in the fridge; all you need to do is reheat it in the microwave."

"Hai. Arigatou Nanako-san."

The afternoon passed quickly, after lunch I went straight to my room again to drown myself in my music. For hours I played the violin, smoothly and gently running the bow over the strings, releasing all of my pent up depression. I played the drums, smashing the drums and the symbols in a perfect beat, taking out the anger within me. For hours I stood there, for hours I played releasing everything within me. All of my emotions, everything that I went through the past couple hours, all of it, I poured it into my music. I played until I could play no more, till there was no strength left in my arms no breath left in my voice.

I lay on the bed, completely spent as Karupin jumps on top of the bed and snuggles close to me. Everything's quiet. Everything is so peaceful. It's nice. All of sudden though, my tranquility is disturbed by the television down stairs, Nanako must be watching the news, and I can here it loud and clear from all the way up here.

"We have just received word, that both Echizen Nanjiroh and Echizen Rinko..." my ears perk up at the mention of my parent's names as I make my way downstairs to the television. "…Both died last night in a car accident. They leave behind a son, Echizen Ryoma." Said the news reporter

"It's a shame. I wonder how this news will affect us," Said one of the other reporters, mostly to his self.

"What do you mean?" said the first reporter

"Well, Echizen Nanjiroh as most of you know is Samurai Nanjiroh, he was a famous tennis player that took the world by storm and put Japan on the map over a decade ago. However, what many people don't know is that Echizen Rinko is – or should I say was the CEO of the Takeuchi Corporation…." Oh shit. Great the whole team's probably watching this as well. I know I was going to tell them all eventually, but I didn't want them to find out on the evening news.

"… Which is the most powerful and the richest family in Japan. They leave behind one son, the sole heir to one of the most powerful companies, the most powerful families in the world. They own, several companies in the world, including some of the media stations, ours being one of them, they own several hotel and spa chains found throughout the world, they're leading in research and development in medicine and biochemistry and one of the most innovative company's in technology, they produce the most secure, unbreakable security system and software, that till today has not been cracked by the best hackers. And that's not even everything. They employ millions if not billions of people all over the world. A lot of people rely on the company for their income, and all of it is in the hands of a fifteen-year-old boy. This is going to affect a lot of people." (A/N: okay maybe I'm going a little over board on how great their family is but wth, it's my fic and I just love ryoma! And I had to come up with something that would make them that rich and powerful.)

Damn it! Everything. In one fell swoop a single reporter just made my life even more miserable than it already it is. I can already picture it, all the media, all of oyaji's fans swarming to our house with their condolences or wanting to get interviews. If they start setting up one of those shrines outside our house, I don't know what I'm going to do. Why can't I just be left alone in peace? Not to mention the business end of everything. Now that the news is out, our stock is probably going to drop drastically. I mean the CEO passed away, how could it not drop. Then there's everyone else and all the media again that's going to want to know what's going to happen with the company with their jobs. Kami-sama, Why me? Is it so difficult to just want to be left alone?

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**A/N:**

Okay I know I was kind of going a little overboard on the Takeuchi family. I'll admit that, but wth, it's my fanfic and so I can make them as great as I want to. Please Review!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

The next morning was a complete disaster. All everyone was talking about was the death of my parents and the impact on everyone else. They even had an Echizen Nanjiroh special, you know one of those biography specials and they also aired back-to-back replay of oyaji's old games. Not to mention, now that word got out about 'kaa-san's death, just like I predicted, the stock on our company has dropped considerably after the news of their death came out. The whole morning the phone was ringing constantly, all from reporters and television stations trying to get an interview with me. Eventually, we just unplugged the phone. At least they all had the decency not to swarm our house with cameras.

The rest of the morning was uneventful. Takahiro had taken up to installing our latest security system around the house and the temple so he could monitor the grounds, while Nanako and I had begun to finalize the preparations for the funeral and the wake, as well as informing others about the details. The hospital had already wiped the bodies clean and sent to our house. I know creepy right, but its tradition here. We set the bodies up at the temple behind our house, placed on dry ice, with incense, a candle, and flowers on a small table beside it

Unfortunately around lunchtime, the front of our house was packed with reporters trying to get interviews and fans dropping off flowers and lighting candles. Is it really so much to ask to be left alone when you're trying to grieve? I've tried my best to ignore the throng of people now situated at my front steps but it grows increasingly harder as the fans have taken it upon themselves to sing songs and the reporters are all sitting out there like ducks waiting for us to come out. Do these people have any deceny? Any respect?

Knock Knock Knock door opening

"Yousuuke-san. Welcome, please come in."

"Ryoma-sama. It's good to see you again. I'm sorry for your loss," He said as he bowed down in greeting. My heart grows heavier as I hear those words again. 'I'm sorry for your loss.' I better get used to it though; I'm going to be hearing it a lot from now on. I hope my face didn't betray my emotions. I wish I could just be a normal kid. Be selfish and allowed to grieve in my own way, but I can't I have to stand strong. I have to be strong. For everything that Okaa-san went through for our family, to leave this for me. I have to keep her legacy alive. I have to keep the Takeuchi's name and the Echizen name alive.

"I'm sure you know why I'm here." He continued on as he set his briefcase down onto the table. Yousuke is slightly shorter than Takahiro, standing at 5 feet 11 inches tall, with light brown hair and glasses framing his face. He's incredibly smart and an incredible lawyer. He attended Tokyo University and graduated at the top of his class. I'm not sure about this but I think he went to school with Okaa-san, I could be wrong though. He also attended Graduate school at Harvard Law in America and graduated as Magna Cum Laude. His law firm is one of the most prominent in Japan. In fact, I don't think he's ever lost a case before. He also is not someone to mess with. He's incredibly ruthless, if you're on his bad side, but he protects the people he loves and cares about with everything in him, like a certain tensai I know. He doesn't attack you physically or try to kill you or anything, but believe me, by the time he gets through with you; you'll wish you were dead.

"The will right? And all of the other legal matters regarding the estate." I say dryly to him as he pulled out some papers.

"Yes. It's fairly simple. Both of your parents left everything to you, the house, the money, the company, everything. However, it has been specifically stated that you are NOT to inherit any of the 

aforementioned items until your eighteenth birthday and if you aren't eighteen, then it will all be left in the hands of your guardian, Nanako-san. She will make all the decisions in the company until you are ready to take over. Also, you cannot legally access your inheritance, Nanako-san will also hold on to this and can take out any amount that you may need." He said monotonously, shuffling through the papers in hand.

Damn it 'kaa-san! I laugh inwardly at this. It's so like 'kaa-san to do something like this. To consider all possible outcomes and to make sure the outcome was in her favour. Of course she would stipulate it in her will.

"Ryoma-kun, this is for the best. You shouldn't be joining the workforce at your age. You're fifteen you should do what kids your age do. Go out and have fun with your friends, play tennis, play your instruments," Said Takahiro.

I sit there silently brooding with a scowl apparent on my face. I watch and sit there as everyone tells me what I can and can't do. I can't believe this. This is MY future we're talking about and I can't have any say whatsoever regarding it. This is bullshit. I hate this. I have to sit here and listen to them babble on about my life, telling me what they think is best for me, that I should do this and that. It's so easy for them to say because they can do whatever they damn well feel like, while I have to watch everyone take over and control my life, my future. It's not fair!

"Ryoma, your mother would have wanted it this way. You know that. You know she wanted you to have a proper childhood. She didn't want you to take over the company at this age. You know very well she wanted you to spend time with all of your friends, that's why she insisted on enrolling you in Seigaku High. Please Ryoma-kun; trust me with the company. You don't know this, but oba-san has been very worried that something like this may happen, since her brother died so young as well. She's been showing me the ropes around her office. Things like what she does, what she checks up on. She's been showing me the most important parts of her job. She's also been entrusting the vice president with a lot of things, she's made sure that if something happened to her everything would be all right, that you would be taken care of," Said Nanako, placing a cup of tea on the table for me.

"Yadda! Everything's all messed up and their both gone and now you're telling me that I don't even have control over my own life. It's MY future you both are talking about. MY family's money and legacy that's at stake here and you all want me to sit back and have some fun and act like a normal kid." I say to them screaming as I stand up and prepare to storm out of the room.

However, before I'm able to take two steps away from the couch, Nanako brings me into a tight hug. "Ryoma-kun," she whispers softly.

Before I even know it, I say softly in a broken voice, "I-It's all I have left."

"Ryoma-kun, you still have me left. You're not alone Ryoma-kun, you still have family left, you still have a lot of people that care about you, that love you," she whispered softly, not letting go of me.

"But--I--Just…"

"Ryoma" she said in a more stern voice as she broke the hug to face me. "You are NOT ready to take over the company."

"I am ready! You're just saying that because I'm fifteen!" I say to her angry. I'm damn well smart enough to take over the company. I can do it.

"No, you're not. I know you have all the brains and you're smart enough to take over the company, but you're still not ready. Maybe it is because of your age that I'm saying this to you now, but I don't believe you are emotionally ready to take on the responsibility of a corporation as huge as your mother's. To tell you the truth, I don't even know if I'm ready to take on the whole company, but I'll do it, 'baa-san trusted me with this job and with the help of the VP, then I'm sure I can do it. I have to do it, for their sake as much as yours. So trust me with this Ryoma-kun."

I sighed in defeat and lowered my head. "Fine, I understand. I do trust you Nanako. I won't complain any longer about not being able to take over the company now." I should be used to this anyways. My whole life has been controlled. First it was because of Oyaji and tennis and then 'kaa-san's wishes. What else is new in my life? Have I ever had control over my own life before?

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**A/N:**

Hey everyone. So how did all of you like this chapter? Please review! Sorry if there's any mistakes in this chapter, since I didn't proof-read it. 


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: **I'm back! Sorry for the long awaited update. I hope all of you still read my story after this. Hope y'all aren't too mad. But let the updates continue! I'm back and ready to write, cuz my muse is back and I'll be updating more regularly from now on. It's an early christmas gift!! This story is almost done and it will be done by the end of the year, which is only a couple of weeks away. Read and review.

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**Chapter 10**

It's now mid afternoon and the reporters and fans are still camped out in front of our house. So Nanako and I decide that we have to make an announcement to those people out there. Hopefully it'll get them off our backs.

"Ryoma-sama and Nanako-sama wish to express the gratitude to everyone for the continued support and heartfelt condolences. We are all incredibly saddened by the loss of Echizen Rinko and Echizen Nanjiroh. They were both wonderful and kind people. They will be greatly missed. We are all mourning the loss of Rinko and Nanjiroh and we hope that everyone can respect their privacy during this delicate situation. They would also like you to know that the company will be taken care of and it is still as strong and stable as it ever was but we ask that all other questions concerning the company be directed to the Vice President of Takeuchi corporations, Nakamura Hideki" Said Takahiro as Nanako and I watched them on the television from inside the house.

As the minutes passed the crowd began to disperse. There was the occasional passer-by that dropped off flowers or to light a candle but for the most part, the reporters and all the news vans had all but left the property, satisfied with our brief statement. I had hoped that they had all gotten the message and left us all in peace but, a few moments later, that hope was squashed.

*Bzzzz Bzzz*

"We'd like to talk to Echizen-sama…" I hear the voices of some fangirls coming from the intercom.

"I'm sorry Master Echizen is not taking any visitors at the moment, you may leave the flowers beside you. We thank you for your condolences and your support." I heard Takahiro say to the random girls.

*Bzzz Bzzz*

Takahiro took about two steps before the intercom buzzed once again.

"Hi. I'm a reporter from Tokyo XXX. I was wondering when Echizen-san and Nanako-san will be available for an interview."

"I'm sorry but they are both busy and won't be available for any interviews any time soon" said Takahiro.

And that's how it continued. I hoped that everyone had some semblance of humanity, of decency, but I guess I was wrong. What do they really expect of me? Am I not a person just like them? They think just because I'm famous, just because my parents were well known, that they have the right to know every last bit of detail of our lives. Do we not have the right to privacy as well? I didn't ask to be famous. I didn't want to be famous; all I wanted was to play tennis, to play amongst the best of them. That's all I wanted, yet these people, even during this time, when my parents have died, they still feel the need to hound me every day, every second.

*Bzzz Bzzz* Oh kami-sama. I groan as I hear the buzzard once more. It's probably them once again, those vultures who want a piece of me.

"I see. You may come in." The moment I hear Takahiro letting someone in, my ears perk up and curiosity overtakes me. Who could it be?

"Ahh. Master Echizen. Master Atobe has come to see you," Said Takahiro as I approached the door.

"Ryoma," said Atobe as he pulled me into a hug. "I'm sorry. I heard about everything. I would've gotten here sooner, except the mob at your front gate has prevented me from doing so." He says as we enter the living room, where Takahiro has placed a cup of tea in front of both us.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why did I have to find out about it like everyone else on the evening news?" he yelled in anger.

"If you hadn't noticed, I had other things on my mind!" I told him, but truth be told, I just didn't want to admit it. Yea I've talked about it with Nanako and Takahiro, but that's different. I know it may sound stupid, but telling others, saying it out loud myself would have solidified it all. Part of me has had trouble believing any of it is actually true. Even faced with their dead bodies, part of still believed that I'd hear Oyaji call me "bishounen" or wake up and find out that 'kaa-san made me a western breakfast once more. It all happened so sudden that it felt like it was all a dream, that eventually I'd wake up and everything would be back to the way it was before. Everything would be normal again. However, as I sat there in front of Atobe as he continued to blabber on about how he'd help me in anyway and how is father offered his assistance in any business problems; I knew I couldn't deny it any longer.

"They're gone." I whispered as Atobe looked at me with a knowing look, understanding why I had just said those words. The rest of the afternoon passed by pretty uneventful. I had the occasional buzz from a fan or reporter, but for the most part, everything had begun to die down and the public had left us in peace.

I lay there on my bed as I stared at my cell phone and I stared at the clock. 1 am is what it read. It's been a day since everyone found out, a day since it was all announced to the public and yet not one single phone call or visit from those who were supposed to be my friends. I knew it. It was so stupid of me to get my hopes up. It was so stupid of me to expect them to be different from everyone else. I had text messages, voice messages, and emails left from people all over the world giving me their condolences, their support. Yet the people, who were supposed to be my closest friends, haven't called me once. I put my trust in them, hoping that this time would turn out differently, but I was wrong. This is the last time I'll ever be wrong about another person like this again. I was stupid to think that people could be trusted and that there were people out there who didn't care about my wealth, or how much I excelled in sports or academics, but I won't make that mistake again. There is no one else out there who I can trust and who I know who doesn't want me for wealth, fame or my talents. At least this way, I'll never get hurt or feel betrayed like this again.

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**A/N:** So what do you all think? Sorry it's short. Sorry if there are any grammer mistakes, I wrote this chapter a while ago, it's just that I couldn't post it because I wasn't sure if i wanted to change certain aspects of the story or not and this chapter was crucial to the change, although I don't really remember what I wanted to change about it, and then I had major writer's block. so anyways, I hope you like it and I hope you continue to read and review my story. Please review cuz I want lots of reviews and I won't know if all of you like it or not.

BTW,  
if you go to my profile page, you'll see a new story I'm currently working on as well, simultaneously to this one. HAHA my muse is back in full force baby! But don't worry, I'll be updating this regularly, expect the next chapter to be up after the weekend, probably by mid week.

review review review pretty please with a cherry on top.

Happy Holidays to all. I wish you all a great holiday with all your friends and family and lots of food. I'm so getting into the christmas spirit. lol. but i still don't like the music all that much.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:**

I told you I was going to post it up, so it here it is, I'm even spending my birthday posting up this story, cuz I actually really like this chapter, so be nice and you can all give me a present by giving a review and saying what you think! be honest!

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Chapter 11

It's finally here, the day of the funeral. Nanako and I decided that since my parents were both well known, we would make it private. Only family and a few close friends of my parents will be attending. It will be a slightly unorthodox ceremony, compared to that of a regular Japanese funeral, but my parents were always a bit unorthodox. The two priests had already arrived this morning and were now currently in a room preparing for the ceremony.

I stand here at the temple in front of the casket of my dead parents. They look so peaceful, like they're asleep, yet I know they're not. I walk up to their caskets and place some of their cherished things to burn with them. With my father, I place his old wooden tennis racket and one of his perverted magazines, and with my mother a picture of me, Nanako, and Karupin, and also music sheets of her favorite song. We close the casket and wheel them over to the tennis court on the temple grounds. When Nanako and I were discussing the arrangements, we realized that we'd have to deal with a lot of security and other details if we did a traditional Japanese funeral. With the temple right at our backyard, why not put it to use, and having the funeral ceremony on the tennis court, would be like a tribute to my parents. Tennis was my father's life, and it was how he met my mother. It would be fitting to have their ceremony on the court.

It's time. The gates open, the guests arrive, the funeral procession begins. It's a mix of people that arrive today. Everyone from some of the most elite families of the world to regular common people stand here. The Atobe's, the Ootori's, the Haninozuka clan, and the Morinozuka clan (yes, these are from Ouran High, only these three families will appear. I haven't decided if the children will make an appearance though. I don't know if the names for Hani and Mori are spelled correctly, and I didn't feel like looking it up, so if it's wrong, please tell me); they're all here, the most elite families in all of Japan, and the people who knew my mother best. They were all family friends, they knew each other since they were small, all running in the same circle. They trusted each other greatly and were intimately involved in one another's business. Some of the top executives of the company had also shown up. On the other side of the spectrum, were commoners. Teachers, coaches, and salary-men were here, some of them new my mother, but the majority of them new my father. Ryuuzaki-sensei, Banji-sensei and Oji-san, were all here, including the Seigaku regulars. Various other people I've never met had also shown up, called by Ryuuzaki-sensei, I'm assuming they were some of Oyaji's close friends when he was growing up.

The security is tight today, with a bodyguard stationed everywhere, and extra security placed especially by the gates. Some of them are our own guards, but others, especially the ones by the gates and the exits, are loaned to us by the Haninozuka and Morinozuka clans. Even though we're not that close to the gates, you can still here the crowds. There's an entire mob of people, it looks like practically the whole city had shown up today. The police had tried to disperse some of the people, since it was getting to be too much, but eventually they gave up. People just kept on coming by the numbers. There was no way they would get the people to move. Their screams and wails ring through the air. You can almost picture the whole lot of them sobbing and crying their eyes out. I'll never understand it. I'll never understand why they cry and wail for my parents, people that they've never met before. They've seen my father on the television or on the courts a long time ago, but they don't know him. They don't know what he was like. They'd probably be stunned to hear that he was a pervert that had no shame in reading a porn magazine or ogling women wherever he went or that he loved teasing me more than anything. They'd probably call me a liar if they heard it. They worship him for what reason, just because he played a good game of tennis. They're all idiots.

The funeral ceremony has already begun. I am sitting here on the first row with Nanako, her parents and Takahiro, behind me sit the heads of the Atobe family, Ootori family, and the Haninozuka and the Morinozuka clan, along with their wives and children respectively. (A/N: yes I am using characters from Ouran Highschool host club b/c I needed rich families, people who Rinko would've interacted with and hence so would Ryoma. He is only close with those families and their respective businesses as well)

The priests had begun chanting a sutra, one for Okaa-san and another for Oyaji. I don't understand a lot of what their saying. I crinkle my nose as I smell the incense being offered to them. I hate the smell incense. All in all, I never really paid attention to the ceremony, mostly because I had no idea what was going on. All I knew was they did a lot of chanting, a lot of bowing, and for some reason, a lot of clapping. The only thing I could understand, where a few dates mentioned here and there. They had begun telling the most significant parts of my parent's lives. They started talking about the day they married, the day my father became a pro, the day he retired, the day I was born, and the day my mother became CEO of the Takeuchi corporations.

It has now been about an hour and ten minutes. The ceremony is usually about forty minutes long, but since, it's two people, the ceremony was performed twice. It's now me and Nanako's turn. As the closest family member's left, it was our turn to pay our respects. We got up, knelt before the altar and presented two branches each, one for okaa-san and one for oyaji, as servants wheeled the grand piano, close to the courts. With a microphone and speakers set up throughout the property, Nanako and I took our places, Nanako on the piano, me on the violin.

"Okaa-san, this is for you. It's your favourite song." I say as I look at the casket holding my dead mother and give Nanako a nod, telling her she can start.

The soft melodious tones of the piano begin and I take my cue as I draw the bow across my violin and I play your song, 'kaa-san, Ave Maria, and Nanako sings the lyrics. I couldn't have been able to sing it myself. I can sing of course, but I would've broken down in the middle if I had to sing the lyrics as well. I'm breaking down as we speak, the moment the bow drew across the violin strings, tears fell down my face, and I couldn't stop them from falling. (**A/N:** If you're interested in the lyrics, just google Ave Maria Schubert lyrics, it's in latin I believe and If you wanna hear the song with the piano and violin, just search it on youtube: "Ave Maria violin and piano" I couldn't find one that had the violin, piano, and the singing, well okay, I didn't really look that hard. Anyways, It's a really beautiful song, I recommend you all listen to it.)

It's silent. For once, the crowd outside had died down. Not a noise can be heard, no cars, no wailing, no honking, no nothing. It's as if the world has stood still for this instance. All eyes are fixed on me and Nanako right now, but I close my eyes, shutting out the world as I continue to play. I remember everything. I remember how my mother insisted on putting me into music, at first I hated it, but it's grown to be such a big part of me, thank you 'kaa-san. Thank you for giving me this, for introducing me to this. I remember Oyaji too. This was the first piece I ever played. He always used to complain about me and my music, saying I could spend my time better practicing tennis and honing my skills, but as soon as he heard me play this in the first competition, he stayed quiet. He never complained after it. Even though he never said it, he was entranced, just like I was, by the beautiful sounds and the emotion that was evoked by the strings of the violin and the keys of the piano.

The song's almost done and I haven't stopped crying. This is the first time I've cried since it all started. It's the first time I've allowed the walls I've built and the masks I've created to crumble. I'm surprised by it myself. I've spent so long creating this mask and these walls to protect myself, to keep everyone at a distance and here I am revealing to all the real me. The part of me, no one's ever known, other than my parents and Nanako. 'Kaa-san, you've always wanted me to do this haven't you? You've always wanted me to tear down the walls I've built. I guess… this is my last gift to you. I've freed myself and opened up myself wholly for the world to see. I've done one thing you wanted, but I'm sorry. I cannot fulfill the other request; I can't trust anymore, I'll probably go back to how I used to be … when things hurt less.

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**A/N:** So what do all of you think? I made the funeral ceremony on the tennis courts because I thought it was the most fitting of places. Considering who Echizen Nanjiroh was and how much tennis was a part of his life, he even met Rinko because of it, and all of his time spent with Ryoma on those courts, it was one of the most fitting ways to remember him and for everyone to say goodbye to him, besides he never seemed like the traditional sort of person.

Ave Maria is a beautiful song and I implore all of you to listen to it.

I know it's short, but if you're with me so far, you know I hardly ever write long chapters. I break the story up for a reason and this chapter was only meant to be about the funeral, nothing more.

Please review, I would love to know what all of you think, since I am new at writing stories.

expect the next update by end of the week


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** I'm on a roll! Here's the next update, I wrote it quicker than I expected. I hope all of you like this.

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Chapter 12

The crowd has finally dispersed, gathered around in another section of the property, being taken care of by Takahiro. It was agonizing sitting there, trying to act strong, trying to hold it in while everyone slowly went up to both of their caskets and paid their mutual respects. The tennis courts were littered with flowers and the smell incense overwhelmed me, despite it being outdoors. Now it's finally my time. Everyone is being attended to in the reception area and the only ones left here now other than me, Nanako and our parents are the closest people to my father and mother, the Atobe's, the Ootori's, the Haninozuka's, the Morinozuka's, and Ryuuzaki-sensei. I can also see the regulars there by the bell Oyaji used to ring. Thankfully they have all stepped back to give my space.

I kneel down on the pedestal in front of their caskets and for the first time in a long time, I pray to whatever deity may exist in the afterlife. Whoever is up there, may it be Christ, Buddha, or whatever other god, please watch over my parents. Whether there is hell or not, watch over their souls, and if they are reincarnated, please let me meet them once more, in whichever body they may inhabit. Oyaji, I finished your dream. I went to the U.S. open and I became the number one tennis player in the ATP race. I'll continue tennis and continue to be at a standard that could defeat you time and again. Okaa-san, I'll try my best to not to isolate myself so much from the world, from everyone. I know it's what you would've wanted. I'll continue playing music at my leisure but please understand that I do not want to participate in music competitions any longer. I'll make you proud. I'll take care of the company of your family, our family's legacy. I promise it will always be in the hands of a Takeuchi. Good bye Okaa-san, good bye Oyaji. I'll miss you both, but I promise I'll make you proud.

As I stood up from kneeling, I hear someone softly call me out. I turn around to see the regulars approaching me.

"What do you want? Need me to help you win another national for you? Is that it? Or now that you've found out about everything you want some of my money? My fame? Well guess what. You can find another mule for all I care, I certainly won't be it. Go away." I say to all of them without even looking back.

"Echizen!" Tezuka, of course, always ready to reprimand me, whenever I don't do as he wants me to. Che.

A hand on my shoulder distracts me however, as I turn my head to look into the worried eyes of Atobe Keigo.

"Ryoma."

And within an instant I am pulled into his comforting embrace as I cry my eyes out like never before. Everything is flowing out of me now. Everything I've ever felt since all of this has happened and all of the fears I've had since long before have come out for the world to bear and I can't stand being this open to everyone. The hurt I felt at their betrayal, and the betrayal of others is all coming out in this instance.

When I'm finally able to calm myself down, Keigo whispers to me softly, "talk to them Ryoma, they may be idiots, but they mean well. I would never have let them befriend you if I thought they were the kind of people that would ever use you. Remember, I will never let another living soul use you for your assets. I made that promise long ago and I intend to keep it. Hear them out. Besides, Kyouya had the entire team all thoroughly checked through before you entered Seigaku junior high."

"Yes Ryo-chan" said Hunny-sempai with his little pink bunny, usa-chan. "Ryo-chan's friends are good people. Kyo-chan would never put Ryo-chan with people that might hurt him. We all love Ryo-chan and we want to see him happy again. And Kyo-chan, Takeshi, Kei-chan, and me are all good at reading people, especially Kyo-chan, he always knows when someone has bad intentions. So don't worry, just listen to what Ryo-chan's friends have to say, Usa-chan says they all look very sorry. I'm sure they want to apologize don't they" finished Hunny-sempai as all eyes then turned to said group. (A/N: Sorry, just wanted to have Hunny say something since they were all there anyways and I've always wanted to see a POT/Ouran crossover where Ryoma and Kyouya were friends. If I ever can come up with a decent storyline, maybe I'll do one one day.)

"Echizen," spoke up Tezuka. "We're sorry for making you think that we don't care about you as a person, as Ryoma. We don't care about your money, your fame, or your tennis skills. You're important to all of us, as a friend."

"Yea Ochibi. We all love you" said Kikumaru as he glomped me.

" – despite your rudeness, cockiness, and newly acquired sadistic tendenc – OW" said momo while rubbing the back of his head. "Gomen. I just mean, even though you're all of those things, you're still special to us. You're still an important member of our team, we wouldn't be complete without you. You could be poor as dirt and suck at tennis, you're still a part of our group. Hell, we even keep Horio around even though he's annoying and is still as bad at tennis."

This is everything I wanted to hear, but why . . .

"Yea right. You're just trying to get back into my good graces. You'll say anything to get me back helping YOUR team. If you were really my friends, you would have at least come and see me when you found out the news or at the very least call me." I say about to turn and leave as Keigo stops me and tells me to listen to their explanation.

"Don't give us that bullshit, we tried! We tried to call but it was always busy and we tried to visit but there were reporters always at the door. Don't go standing there saying that we weren't your friends because we never bothered to visit, we'll we tried to visit, many times, and YOU"D always turn us away. YOU wouldn't let us visit or talk to you but you let HIM (pointing to Atobe) waltz right in. If YOU were OUR friend, YOU would have trusted US and told US the truth. We've all known each other for what? 3 years? How could you keep something like this from us, from me? I'm supposed to be your best friend here, and I didn't even know something so important, something so much a part of your life? How could you not tell us all these things about you? Do you not know each and every one of us? All of our little quirks, likes, dislikes, and about our past, why hide this from us? From your friends?" said Momo, while everybody just stood in awkward silence.

Fuji-senpai was the first one to break the silence however. "Momo's right. I mean it did hurt that you kept something like this from us. You didn't even bother telling this to any of use. You've kept it a secret for so long. It's not like we care whether you're rich or not, it's just, we thought you trusted us. We tried visiting you but like Momo said, there were always reporters and we tried calling but we always got a busy signal or something. After your little press conference Momo went back and tried to visit you but some guy said that you didn't want to receive any visitors and just when he was about to leave, he saw Atobe's limo pulling in to your house. We all thought that since we're not rich like him, you didn't want to hang out with us anymore. We thought that you wouldn't want to be friends with us anymore since you're not a commoner like us. I mean, we can't compete with you in tennis, aside from Tezuka-bechou, and we're not rich, and we could never get in to speak with you, so we all thought that you were avoiding us."

"LIAR!." I shouted at the top of my lungs, not caring about all the guests just a few feet away

"Ochibi! We're telling the truth! How can you still not believe us? We're your friends!"

"NO! You're Liars! I won't be fooled again by people like you! I'm sick of everyone that thinks they can just use me however they like. That they can use for my money or my skills, without thinking about ME! I won't! I won't be fooled again! You're just like the people back in America; you're just like them, only after me because of my money and my smarts. Just go away." I won't be hurt again. I refuse to believe in people's kindness ever again. Everyone's the same, they all want the same thing and they'll all use me to get it. I refuse to be someone's stepping stone any longer. I was just about to leave and head to the limo, on my way to the crematorium when Takahiro walked up to us.

"Oh young master, are these acquaintances of yours, they came by several times when the reporters were at the door and a couple of times after wishing to speak with you. I simply thought they were mere fans, we got several of them who insisted on speaking directly with you claiming everything to being your girlfriend or boyfriend to even carrying your child, there were a couple people even claiming to be you're long lost relative. If I had known they were your friends, I would have let them in, please forgive me young master, you said you did not wish to be disturbed and made no mention of any friends that may stop by. Forgive my assumption."

"See Ryo-chan. everything's fine, it was all a misunderstanding. They're not meanies." Said Hunny-senpai

"Gomen." I mutter as momo puts me into a headlock. "About time, you realized we were telling the truth and we care about ya. If all we really wanted from you was your money and all that stuff, we would've sucked Atobe long time ago. I mean he's rich too and he's got about the same size ego you do, except you're not as annoying as he his –"Continued Momo only to be interrupted by Atobe.

"Momoshiro, do not forget it's because of ore-sama that you plebeians even had the chance for Ryoma to hear your petty excuses, really being jealous of me, while I quite understand since Ore-sama has so many things for people like you to be jealous of –"

"Urusai Keigo." I say interrupting his speech.

"Echizen! Don't think I'm going to forget all the times you made me pay for all the damn burgers. It's about time you pay me back!"

Stupid Momo! I screamed in my head as I pushed his arms off me and headed to the awaiting limo to cremate my parents, hearing the faint shout of "Baka Momo!" from a loud Kikumaru.

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**A/N:** So what do all of you think? I don't know how I feel about this chapter. I think there's something missing in it, but I don't know what. But don't get disappointed, there's still more chapters coming up. The discussion isn't over, after all there are still a few more things he has yet to tell the regulars.

One week till christmas eve! Hope everyone's gotten their christmas shopping done. I'm almost done.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** Hey Hey Hey! Another update! Actually, this was supposed to be the last chapter, but I thought something was off about it, that there was something missing to the story as a whole. So I suddenly got inspired and this chapter was produced. I hope all of you like it.

Sorry, but I haven't proof read this so I am sorry in advance for any grammer mistakes that may have occurred

To all of you who are currently stuck at home because of a snow storm(yes, i am!), here's another update.

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Chapter 13

The reception's over, everyone has left already, each of them paying their respects and giving me their condolences and support for the times ahead. And now, the only ones left in this house, this house that once was so alive, are the ones closest to me. The seigaku regulars all sit around in the family room, drinking their tea, awaiting my arrival, for the truth to be laid out in the open. However, the closer I get to the room, to them, the more dread I feel, the more my guilt for keeping these secrets rises to the surface. It's been so long since I've had to open myself up for the world to see and I don't think I can do it, but I have to. They're idiots; most of them are insensitive moronic fools who have no sense of boundary or the personal space of others. So why is it I care so much about them, because they're stubborn, incessant beings who have wormed their way into my heart as my closest friends and I don't think I could stand it if they betrayed me too.

I've had my fair share of betrayal, of useless, fake friends, and I can't stand those type of people. I've had people who were jealous of me, people who hated my achievements and how little effort it took for me to succeed. It may sound cocky to you, but I am the best. Many people have hated me because I succeed where they can't, or hate me because they try so hard to be perfect, to get the best of marks, yet I put little to no effort. It's not my fault that I understand things easier than others. I never asked to smarter and more athletic and more artistic than most. I never asked for these gifts, but if they can be useful to me in any way, then I will make use of them. Like they say, I won't look a gift horse in the mouth. It's not like I can take it away and I certainly am not going to pretend to be a complete and utter idiot, so instead, I'll make full use of my abilities to appease my growing boredom.

I finally make it to just outside the room and took a huge breadth before I enter. As soon as I make my way in, all eyes turn to me, in there sits every single regular as well as Keigo and Nanako, for support.

"Ochibi . . . Are you okay? How are you doing?" asks Kikumaru-senpai, acting like he's walking on egg shells.

"I'm fine. Since you all already know about my family's past and our . . . wealth, then I guess there's some other things that I may as well tell you and get it over with, so don't interrupt me until I'm done speaking and listen up because I'm not going to repeat myself. What you already know is that my family, my mother specifically, is wealthy. She was born a Takeuchi, one of the richest families in the world, second only to the royal family. Due to my uncle's death a couple years back, and his lack of heirs, the control of the entire company and the families entire fortune, fell to my mother and she has been the head of the family since. Due to the death of both my parents, the control of the entire family fortune is left to me, however, since I am yet of age, Nanako is holding onto it for me until I turn 18. You also know that I am a musician and I play the violin. I also happen to play the drums, guitar, and the piano, among others. I can sing, and I am good enough to make a career of it, and NO, you will not, nor will you ever hear me sing. Everything about tennis and my father is the truth, as you well know. What you don't know is that I have already graduated from high school and in fact, I have already gotten a Bachelor's degree in business administration, and biochemistry along with a Master's degree in Physics. I am currently working on a Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering and I also plan on getting a medical degree. I think that's all." I finish telling them the truth and look upon each of them to see a stunned Oishi-senpai, Momo-senpai. Kaido-senpai, and Kawamura-senpai. I also see Inui scribbling furiously in his notebook, while Fuji-senpai smiles serenely and Tezuka has no expression at all. "Oh wait, I think you were also slightly confused about Keigo here, and the fact I haven't been calling him Monkey King lately."

"Yea, what's up with that? You guys getting it on or something?" asked Momo-senpai. How tactless of him to put it that way.

"No. Monkey King and I are not as you put it "getting it on." We have known each other for the better part of 10 years. Our families have been friends for generations and business partners for just as long. If anything, Monkey King is more like a brother to me. We first met when I was five years old in America; he was my annoying next door neighbor. He came over every day to get his ass kicked in tennis by a five year old."

"Hey! Ore-sama was a beginner to the game of tennis and YOU had already been playing against your father for three years."

"Yes, so you should thank me for introducing you to one of your passions. You should bow down before me and thank me for changing your life."

"Ore-sama never bows down before anyone, it is others who bow down before ore-sama and worship the ground he walks on." He said offendedly, taking a sip from his tea as his servant fanned him.

"Anyways, I guess that's everything." I breathe out, waiting for their reactions.

"You said you have a degree in biochemistry and a master's in physics?" asks Inui, peering up from his notebook for a second.

"Yes. . ." I answer, almost afraid to ask why.

"Then may I pick your brain and inquire your input on some . . . experiments, I am dealing with. It would be of great use to get the opinion of someone of your education. Also, would I ever be able to make use of any of your research facilities. I understand that your family deals with R&D in several fields. Other than that, I am not surprised by your intelligence; I've always noted you to be of a superior intelligence level than most others. I am surprised by how far you have advanced in academics. To have already obtained degrees of those statures and in those subjects none the less, was beyond my data. Other than that, you are still the same Echizen Ryoma that we all knew, so no problem there." He said not awaiting my answer, pen in hand.

"Umm…Sure . . . I can give you my input in your . . . experiments. And no, you cannot use our family's research facilities. And thanks . . . I guess. Anyone else have anything to say?" I asked looking around at everyone as they all shook their heads.

"Not really, we knew you were smart and all, like Inui-sempai said, I mean there had to be a reason you slept in class everyday and still got top grades. I mean you could have helped me with my subjects if you were so smart and all, but I doubt you would've helped me, ungrateful brat, you should be nicer to your sempai's you know" said Momo, scratching his head and munching on the provided snacks.

I looked around at everyone else, and surprisingly everyone had seemed to accept it all in stride, but my gaze landed on one certain person as I saw the sadistic gleam and the ever present smile that crossed his face.

"Saa Echizen, I'd really love to hear you sing. I'm sure you have a beautiful voice." He voices out so gently and melodiously that it sends shivers straight up my spine and I know that if there is ever anything that I regret doing most in the world, is mentioning that I can sing.

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**A/N: **So that's it, one chapter left. Read and review.

**ATTN IMPORTANT NOTE(PLS READ)- RE: SEQUEL**

Okay. I just want to say that I don't have a definitive storyline planned for a sequel, however, I do have ideas, and if you look close enough, you'll probably get some clue on what the nature of the possible sequel will be about.

What I want to know from all of you is do you want a sequel? If enough people ask me for a sequel, than I will try my hardest to start one and think of a good story line to go with it. So basically please answer this question:  
**Do you want a sequel?**

If so: (Note: sequel will contain a pairing)  
**Which pairing do you prefer:  
**Thrill Pair (FujixRyoma)  
Pillar Pair (TezukaxRyoma)  
Royal Pair (AtobexRyoma)  
RyomaxGirl OC - (note: for a girl character, it will absolutely NOT be a girl from POT, I would be creating my own girl character for the story b/c I don't like SakuxRyoma pairings, no offense to those who do.)

**Would you like to see the Ouran members make a reappearance? Do you even care if they do or not?**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** Last chapter! Last chapter! =D

I can't make a post on Ryoma's actual birthday, so here's an early brithday present! Merry christmas and Happy Holidays to you all and a Happy new Year.

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**Chapter 14**

I walked up the steps to the place I've been to so many times the last few months. The steps that is so familiar now. When I walk around lost in thought, I always end up here. It's been about two months since my parents died. Let me tell you one thing, the cremation ceremony was the creepiest ceremony in the world! Cremation is fine, takes up less space actually, but this one, no, we had to pick up their bones with chopsticks and put them into the urn. That is the creepiest, weirdest thing I have ever done and I never want to do that again. I'll tell you one thing; I'll never look at a chopstick the same ever again. (A/N: wiki Japanese funeral if you don't believe me. Got it from there and also an article I found online that described it. I still stand by that it's creepy, but everyone has their own traditions.)

I've finally gotten back into the swing of things. Nanako has allowed me to participate in some dealings with the company and sit in on meetings whenever I can. I've continued in school, despite how useless it is for me, 'kaa-san would have wanted me to stay, besides it's not like I can do anything till I turn 18. I've also continued to train the tennis team. Ryuuzaki-sensei was right; it is extremely amusing having so much control of all of your sempais. I think they all now prefer Tezuka's laps as punishment than mine. Yes, I do give them laps as punishment, that won't change, but I've also added push-ups, sit-ups, and squats. Sometimes I'll even get them to line up and side step from one end of the court to the next. All that and they still get to drink Inui juice. Hah all the joys.

I've also added a sort of game to the drills the team does. It's like horseshoe in basketball. It's called Cat. Basically I'll hit them a ball and tell them what I want it to do or where I want it to land and if they get it right they keep going and if they get wrong well then they spell the word C-A-T, whoever spells out cat first, gets Inui juice.

I also have something else planned as well. Kyouya's family is opening up a new spa in the area, its set atop a hill overlooking the city; it's quite serene and peaceful. Anyways, all of the things needed to finish setting up the place has been stored in the warehouse at the base of the hill and he was in need of some people to move it up the hill. I had been trying to think of a new way to improve the team at the time and it all fit so perfectly so I enlisted their help, oh but they don't know that I did. They'll find out about it tomorrow, they think that we're going to test out his new spa for him, which is true by the way. Anyways, they'll be lugging up everything in the warehouse to the top of the hill, maybe I'll have them wear weights as well, while Ryuuzaki-sensei and myself wait at the top making use of their superb services.

Everything with the regulars has been going smoothly and I don't know how, but I'll thank whoever is responsible, for allowing me to escape a certain tensai's evil plans of making me sing. Everything's good right now. Okaa-san would be happy. I miss them, even Oyaji, but things are getting better, easier to deal with. The house being so quiet and empty is still something I'm not used to. I even miss making fun of Oyaji and seeing him reading his magazines, never thought I'd say that. I'll make you both proud, I promise.

"Good bye Oyaji, Good bye Okaa-san, rest in peace." I say as my fingers brush over their names on their tomb stone. I place the flowers in the vase in front of them as I push myself up off the floor and walk down those familiar steps once more and out of the cemetery.

* * *

The story's finallt done! YAY My first complete story! I want to thank each and every one of you who have continued to follow my story and especially those who have reviewed, added me to their alerts and/or favourites. It gave me so much more incentive to finish this story. Thank you also for being patient with me, while I had a bit of writer's block. And thank you for continuing to read my story even after that.

**Voting Results:**  
So here's the results so far from the vote I held in chapter 13:

I've got alot of responses saying they want a sequel, so I will try to do one and come up with a good story line (almost done coming up with one! I somewhat know of a beginning to do and I definitely know how it'll end, I just need to come up with the process in the middle.

Now,

Pairings:  
Royal: 6  
RyomaxGirl: 5  
Thrill: 3  
Pillar: 1  
-someone wanted a femryo, which i won't do, but there are some really good femryo stories out there =)

The pairing is not definite yet, you still have time to vote for the pair you want. And sorry to say, but for the sake of my story I may decide to keep the final decision of the pairings a secret. HOWEVER, the story is still processing in my mind, so that could change. It's all up to you folks!

I give you to the end of january, after which voting is closed.

most of you want the ouran characters to show up again, in what manner I have yet to decide.


End file.
